STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1155

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 561

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 561, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CAREGIVER COORDINATOR POSITION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to support Hawaii's caregivers by creating a Caregiver Coordinator position within the Executive Office on Aging to use state resources in organizing a statewide system of caregiver support services.

The American Association of Retired Persons Hawaii, Kokua Council, National Multiple Sclerosis Society Hawaii Division, Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, and a concerned individual supported this bill.

Your Committees find that the number of in home, family based caregiver situations are increasing with our rapidly expanding senior population. The time has come for a more focused approach to coordinate services for these caregivers to assist them in caring for their loved ones, while trying to prevent them from experiencing severe financial hardships that may occur when focus must be placed on the person needing care rather than a career.

In an effort to gain the a better understanding of the potential of this Program Specialist in Aging position your Committees have amended this bill by:

(1) Changing the Program Specialist in Aging position from a full-time permanent position to a temporary position to allow for a trial period;

(2) Setting a sunset date of June 30, 2007, for the Program Specialist on Aging position;

(3) Inserting a $1 appropriation to encourage further discussion; and

(4) Making 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 that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 561, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 561, S.D. 1, 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,

 

____________________________

ALEX M. SONSON, Chair

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair