STAND. COM. REP. NO. 96

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: H.B. No. 632

H.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 632 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to allow the Department of Human Services (DHS) to license home and community-based case management agencies. These agencies would certify a person, agency, or organization to operate a community care foster family home.

Your Committee recognizes the need for the expansion of long-term care facilities to provide quality, cost-effective care. This bill would also allow accessibility to all individuals requiring nursing facility level of care regardless of their eligibility for Medicaid benefits.

In addition, your Committee also recognizes that hospitals are currently housing an increasing number of patients awaiting placement in nursing homes or long-term care facilities. This measure would free some of those beds and make them available to patients requiring acute care.

DHS, Queen's Medical Center, Case Management, Inc., ABEL Case Management, Inc., Catholic Charities Elderly Services, Coalition for Affordable Long Term Care, Kokua Council, Hale Makua, and a registered nurse submitted testimonies in support of this measure. The Attorney General (AG) supported the intent of this measure and suggested that DHS conduct criminal history checks, as the AG would be unable to provide timely service if the AG's office were to bear the sole responsibility for this.

After further consideration, your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Including recommendations by the Attorney General regarding conviction of a crime; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 632, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 632, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

 

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

____________________________

MICHAEL P. KAHIKINA, Chair