Report Title:

Native Hawaiian Health Program; Established

Description:

Establishes a Native Hawaiian Health Program in the DOH; makes appropriation.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

909

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO NATIVE HAWAIIAN HEALTH.

 

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

SECTION 1. The United States Congress enacted the Native Hawaiian Health Care Act of 1988 (Act), "to improve the health status of Native Hawaiians through the establishment of a comprehensive health promotion and disease prevention effort" (Senate Report No. 100-580 on P.L. 100-579). The Act provided for a grant system that authorized the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to enter into a contract with Papa Ola Lokahi for the purpose of providing matching grants to establish comprehensive health promotion, disease prevention, and primary health services to improve the health status of native Hawaiians. Papa Ola Lokahi is an organization composed of E Ola Mau, the office of Hawaiian affairs, Alu Like Inc., the University of Hawaii, and the department of health.

The Act also established a native Hawaiian health scholarships program to provide professional training in each type of health care profession to serve the needs of native Hawaiians. In return for receiving a scholarship, the recipient is obligated to serve full-time in a native Hawaiian health care system for a minimum of two years. The obligation can also be fulfilled by serving in a health profession shortage area or medically underserved area.

The legislature finds that native Hawaiians continue to be plagued with poor health outcomes. According to the department of health's 2001 Annual Report, native Hawaiians have some of the worst health statistics in the United States, with most diseases being preventable.

The legislature further finds that the State's community health centers could contribute immensely to improving the health outcomes for native Hawaiians and to promoting the native Hawaiian health scholarship program by hiring graduates of the program. However, the community health centers cannot afford to hire full-time professional staff and resort instead to contracting for part-time work. Among the health care specialties, there is an acute shortage of psychologists and psychologists in remote areas.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a native Hawaiian health care program in statute and to make an appropriation to enable the hiring of graduates of the native Hawaiian health scholarship program.

SECTION 2. Chapter 321, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§321- Native Hawaiian health care program; establishment. (a) There is established a native Hawaiian health care program under the department of health. The program shall operate in conjunction with and in furtherance of the Native Hawaiian Health Care Act of 1988, P.L. 100-579, title 42, United States Code, section 11701, et. seq.

(b) There shall be a grant component of the native Hawaiian health care program to provide funding to community health centers to:

(1) Provide disease prevention services to native Hawaiians, as defined in title 42, United States Code, section 11711; provided that any such grant shall be supplemental to federal moneys; and

(2) Hire full-time professional clinical staff licensed in this State, particularly psychologists or psychiatrists, who are graduates of the native Hawaiian health scholarships program under title 42, United States Code, section 11709.

Community health centers serving rural areas of the State shall have priority in receiving grants.

(c) The native Hawaiian health care program shall not be limited to the minimum requirements of federal law. The department of health may provide additional health care services to benefit native Hawaiians."

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, for the native Hawaiian health care program.

SECTION 4. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. If any part of this Act is found to be in conflict with federal requirements, the federal requirements shall supersede this Act and this Act shall be interpreted to meet federal requirements that are a necessary condition to the receipt of federal funds by the State or by a native Hawaiian health care system.

SECTION 6. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that section 3 shall take effect on July 1, 2003.

INTRODUCED BY:

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