STAND. COM. REP. NO. 989

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 26

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 26 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A HAWAII STATE FALL PREVENTION AND EARLY DETECTION TASK FORCE TO DEVELOP A STATEWIDE APPROACH TO REDUCING FALLS AMONG OLDER ADULTS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a Hawaii State Fall Prevention and Early Detection Task Force to develop a statewide approach to reducing falls among older adults.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Executive Office on Aging, Department of Community Services of the City and County of Honolulu, Maui County Office on Aging, University of Hawaii Center on Aging, Injury Prevention Advisory Committee, Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, Project Dana, Child & Family Service, and seven individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Legislative Reference Bureau.

 

     Your Committee finds that among the elderly in Hawaii, falls are the leading cause of fatal injuries, injury-related hospitalization, injury-related emergency room visits, and injury-related emergency medical service calls.  Your Committee further finds that falls and fall-related injuries among older adults impose an enormous burden on individuals, society, and Hawaii's health care system.

 

     Your Committee also finds that falls are largely preventable and are not an inevitable part of aging.  Additionally, your Committee finds that the Hawaii State Fall Prevention and Early Detection Task Force proposed by this measure elevates fall prevention for older adults as a policy priority for the State by bringing together leadership and expertise from key agencies and organizations to determine the most effective means to prevent and reduce fall-related injuries and deaths.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Designating the Executive Office on Aging as the entity responsible for convening the Hawaii State Fall Prevention and Early Detection Task Force, rather than the University of Hawaii Center on Aging;

 

     (2)  Reducing the number of Task Force members to be appointed by the Governor, President of the Senate, and Speaker of the House of Representatives from five each to four; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 26, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 26, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

 

 

 

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair