HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

21

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

URGING THE DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO WORK TOGETHER TO DEVELOP A STANDARDIZED, WORKABLE POLICY TO PROTECT THE ELDERLY WITHOUT COMPROMISING RESIDENT CARE, AND THAT ENCOURAGES MORE PEOPLE TO BECOME ADULT RESIDENTIAL CARE HOME OR COMMUNITY CARE FOSTER FAMILY HOME OPERATORS.

 

 

 


     WHEREAS, adult residential care home (ARCH) and community care foster family home (CCFFH) operators provide an invaluable service to the greater community; and

 

     WHEREAS, ARCH and CCFFH operators save taxpayers substantial sums of money that would otherwise be expended for the care of the elderly and disabled if they were to become wards of the State; and

 

     WHEREAS, many operators are beset by tough challenges such as the high cost of liability insurance that threaten their continued existence; and

 

     WHEREAS, caring for ARCH and CCFFH operators' clients is a profession that is becoming increasingly necessary in the face of Hawaii's ever-expanding elderly population; and

 

     WHEREAS, with the rising cost of living in Hawaii it has become increasingly common for multiple family members in a home to hold down several jobs leaving little time for the 24-hour care of an aging relative, increasing the need for ARCH and CCFFH facilities; and

 

     WHEREAS, assisted-living facilities are well beyond the financial reach of many families who need assistance with a loved one; and


     WHEREAS, it is estimated that by the year 2020, one in four persons in this state will be over the age of 60, illustrating the critical need for ARCH and CCFFH operators; and

 

     WHEREAS, ARCH and CCFFH operators provide for all aspects of a person's needs from scheduling of doctor's appointments or physical therapy programs to providing social interaction with those residents who no longer have family close by; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Departments of Health (DOH) and Human Services (DHS) have overlapping jurisdiction over certain aspects of ARCHs and CCFFHs, including licensure, inspections, and regulatory enforcement; and

 

     WHEREAS, an ARCH or CCFFH that cares for chronically ill residents needing skilled nursing care will be subject to DOH's medical-based guidelines as well as DHS's policies based on a social services point of view; and

 

     WHEREAS, subjecting ARCH and CCFFH facilities to two sets of rules and policies causes confusion, which may negatively influence a resident's care, and cause frustration to employees in jobs that are inherently stressful; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, the Senate concurring, that DOH and DHS are urged to work together to develop a standardized, workable policy to protect the elderly without compromising resident care, and that encourages more people to become ARCH or CCFFH operators; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Health, and Director of Human Services.

Report Title: 

Adult Residential Care Homes; Community Care Foster Family Homes; DOH and DHS Standardized Policy