STAND. COM. REP. NO.  672

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

 

RE:   H.B. No. 818

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Health and Human Services & Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 818 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LONG-TERM CARE,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to improve the safety and long-term care provided to the state's frail and elderly by:

 

     (1)  Formally establishing an Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman within the Executive Office on Aging; and

 

     (2)  Appropriating funds to establish an additional three ombudsman program specialist IV positions and a clerk typist II position;

 

to support a Regional long-term care ombudsman program on the Neighbor Islands.

 

     The Long-Term Care Ombudsman, Hawaii Alliance for Retired Americans, Kokua Council, National Association of Social Workers, Hawaii Aging Advocates Coalition, Gay and Lesbian Education and Advocacy Foundation, and a concerned individual supported this bill.  The Department of Health and the Executive Office on Aging supported the intent of this measure.


 

     Your Committees have amended this bill by adding a new part the purpose of which is to support the Aging and Disability Resource Center Program by appropriating $370,000 for fiscal year 2007-2008 and $230,000 for fiscal year 2008-2009 to supplement its development. 

 

The funds shall be used to:

 

(1)  Contract with a state management information consultant;

 

(2)  Purchase additional management information system products, including software licensing, server clusters, installation, staff training, computer hardware, and technical support;

 

(3)  Install a statewide toll-free telephone system for the public to contact aging and disability resource center sites;

 

(4)  Coordinate and implement consumer education and outreach campaigns;

 

(5)  Continue the coordination and implementation of the Hawaii County site;

 

(6)  Continue the coordination and implementation of the Honolulu County site; and

 

(7)  Continue the state–level coordination and evaluation activities of the project.

 

     Your Committees have also made technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services & Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 818, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 818, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.


 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services & Housing,

 

 

____________________________

MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair

 

____________________________

JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Chair