Report Title:

Long-Term Care; Family Caregivers; Recognition

Description:

Makes it a state objective to recognize the importance of the contributions of family caregivers and to support them, to the extent possible, in serving the long-term care needs of the State's residents.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2016

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to long-term care.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. Chapter 346C, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§346C- Family caregivers. (a) The legislature finds that the care provided annually by family caregivers for free has an estimated value of approximately $196,000,000,000. On the other hand, formal home care services are estimated to cost about $32,000,000,000 annually, and nursing home services cost about $83,000,000,000. Most people who need long-term care prefer to receive assistance and services at home and to stay in their communities, near family and friends, for as long as possible. Family caregivers provide over eighty per cent of home care services and over ninety per cent of all long-term care services. At least seventy-five per cent of all family care is provided by women. About two-thirds of older people living in the community rely solely on informal help, mainly from wives and adult daughters. Caregiving itself has become harder for all family caregivers partly because those who need long-term care are living longer with chronic illness and disabilities.

As long-term care costs continue to rise, it is in the interest of the State to devise mechanisms to assist family caregivers who care for the elderly and those who require at-home long-term care by keeping them off medicaid and out of costly nursing homes. Families can be an important part of the solution to serious long-term care system problems such as budget and workforce shortages. Family caregivers can relieve state spending on nursing home care. During times of fiscal discipline, family caregiving can be a way to reduce costs without hurting the people the State is trying to serve.

As used in this section, "family caregiver" means an individual who provides at-home care to a relative, such as a spouse, grandparent, parent, son, daughter, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, or first cousin, who: has a physical or mental impairment; has lost or never acquired the ability to function independently; or needs assistance with at least two activities of daily living, as the term is defined in section 346C-1.

(b) It is the intent of the legislature to recognize the importance of the contributions of family caregivers and to support them to the extent possible, as a state objective in serving the long-term care needs of its residents."

SECTION 2. Chapter 346D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§346D- Family caregivers. (a) The legislature finds that the care provided annually by family caregivers for free has an estimated value of approximately $196,000,000,000. On the other hand, formal home care services are estimated to cost about $32,000,000,000 annually, and nursing home services cost about $83,000,000,000. Most people who need long-term care prefer to receive assistance and services at home and to stay in their communities, near family and friends, for as long as possible. Family caregivers provide over eighty per cent of home care services and over ninety per cent of all long-term care services. At least seventy-five per cent of all family care is provided by women. About two-thirds of older people living in the community rely solely on informal help, mainly from wives and adult daughters. Caregiving itself has become harder for all family caregivers partly because those who need long-term care are living longer with chronic illness and disabilities.

As long-term care costs continue to rise, it is in the interest of the State to devise mechanisms to assist family caregivers who care for the elderly and those who require at-home long-term care by keeping them off medicaid and out of costly nursing homes. Families can be an important part of the solution to serious long-term care system problems such as budget and workforce shortages. Family caregivers can relieve state spending on nursing home care. During times of fiscal discipline, family caregiving can be a way to reduce costs without hurting the people the State is trying to serve.

As used in this section, "family caregiver" means an individual who provides at-home care to a relative, such as a spouse, grandparent, parent, son, daughter, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, or first cousin, who: has a physical or mental impairment; has lost or never acquired the ability to function independently; or needs assistance with at least two activities of daily living, as the term is defined in section 346C-1.

(b) It is the intent of the legislature to recognize the importance of the contributions of family caregivers and to support them to the extent possible, as a state objective in serving the long-term care needs of its residents."

SECTION 3. Chapter 349, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§349- Family caregivers. (a) The legislature finds that the care provided annually by family caregivers for free has an estimated value of approximately $196,000,000,000. On the other hand, formal home care services are estimated to cost about $32,000,000,000 annually, and nursing home services cost about $83,000,000,000. Most people who need long-term care prefer to receive assistance and services at home and to stay in their communities, near family and friends, for as long as possible. Family caregivers provide over eighty per cent of home care services and over ninety per cent of all long-term care services. At least seventy-five per cent of all family care is provided by women. About two-thirds of older people living in the community rely solely on informal help, mainly from wives and adult daughters. Caregiving itself has become harder for all family caregivers partly because those who need long-term care are living longer with chronic illness and disabilities.

As long-term care costs continue to rise, it is in the interest of the State to devise mechanisms to assist family caregivers who care for the elderly and those who require at-home long-term care by keeping them off medicaid and out of costly nursing homes. Families can be an important part of the solution to serious long-term care system problems such as budget and workforce shortages. Family caregivers can relieve state spending on nursing home care. During times of fiscal discipline, family caregiving can be a way to reduce costs without hurting the people the State is trying to serve.

As used in this section, "family caregiver" means an individual who provides at-home care to a relative, such as a spouse, grandparent, parent, son, daughter, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, or first cousin, who: has a physical or mental impairment; has lost or never acquired the ability to function independently; or needs assistance with at least two activities of daily living, as the term is defined in section 346C-1.

(b) It is the intent of the legislature to recognize the importance of the contributions of family caregivers and to support them to the extent possible, as a state objective in serving the long-term care needs of its residents."

SECTION 4. Section 333F-21, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§333F-21 Provision of services; family and caregiver support. (a) The legislature finds that the care provided annually by family caregivers for free has an estimated value of approximately $196,000,000,000. On the other hand, formal home care services are estimated to cost about $32,000,000,000 annually, and nursing home services cost about $83,000,000,000. Most people who need long-term care prefer to receive assistance and services at home and to stay in their communities, near family and friends, for as long as possible. Family caregivers provide over eighty per cent of home care services and over ninety per cent of all long-term care services. At least seventy-five per cent of all family care is provided by women. About two-thirds of older people living in the community rely solely on informal help, mainly from wives and adult daughters. Caregiving itself has become harder for all family caregivers partly because those who need long-term care are living longer with chronic illness and disabilities.

As long-term care costs continue to rise, it is in the interest of the State to devise mechanisms to assist family caregivers who care for the elderly and those who require at-home long-term care by keeping them off medicaid and other public programs and out of costly nursing homes. Families can be an important part of the solution to serious long-term care system problems such as budget and workforce shortages. Family caregivers can relieve state spending on nursing home care. During times of fiscal discipline, family caregiving can be a way to reduce costs without hurting the people the State is trying to serve.

As used in this section, "family caregiver" means an individual who provides at-home care to a relative, such as a spouse, grandparent, parent, son, daughter, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, or first cousin, who: has a physical or mental impairment; has lost or never acquired the ability to function independently; or needs assistance with at least two activities of daily living, as the term is defined in section 346C-1.

(b) It is the intent of the legislature to recognize the importance of the contributions of family caregivers and to support them to the extent possible, as a state objective in serving the long-term care needs of its residents.

(c) The director within the limits of state and federal resources allocated or available for the purposes of this chapter shall provide any services that may be necessary to maintain and enhance care giving in community-based homes for persons with developmental disabilities. For the purposes of this section, "family and caregiver support" means a flexible and varied network of support which does not supplant community resources, and which is capable of providing for the individual families caring for persons with developmental disabilities. These services may include:

(1) In-home and out-of-home respite services for families and care providers;

(2) The purchase of adaptive equipment such as bath chairs and special positioning chairs not covered by health insurance or other resources;

(3) Counseling services for families of care providers concerning stresses and feelings about caring for persons with developmental disabilities;

(4) Special supply purchases such as diapers and special clothing required by persons with developmental disabilities;

(5) Homemaker and chore services;

(6) Transportation services not available through existing resources in the community;

(7) Specialized therapy services for persons with developmental disabilities not available through insurance, medicaid, or other resources;

(8) Case management to help families and care providers coordinate and access services available to persons with developmental disabilities; and

(9) Provision, without regard to chapter 42F or chapter 103F, of modifications to dwelling units to enable persons with developmental disabilities with sensory limitation or mobility problems to reside in community homes which require adaptive and safety alterations such as the installation of ramps and porch lifts, bars and hand rails, widening of doorways, removal of other architectural barriers, and the enlargement of bath facilities to allow the movement and ensure the safety of the person with developmental disabilities; provided that:

(A) There shall be an agreement between the care provider and the department to ensure continued care in the home where the modification is provided; and

(B) Modification costs shall be limited to the amount of funds appropriated for the program for any individual client."

SECTION 5. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________