STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1745

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

 

RE:   H.R. No. 141

      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 Committee on Human Services & Housing, to which was referred H.R. No. 141 entitled:

 

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU TO STUDY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CASH AND COUNSELING PROGRAM IN OTHER STATES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Legislative Reference Bureau to prepare a study on the Cash and Counseling Program.

 

     The American Association of Retired Persons submitted testimony in support of this measure.  The Legislative Reference Bureau submitted comments.

 

     Your Committee finds that the Cash and Counseling Program provides recipients of Medicaid personal care services or home- and community-based services with a flexible monthly allowance and the freedom to decide what provider to hire and what services they want to receive.  Additionally, the program provides participants with counseling and fiscal assistance to help them manage their allowance and responsibilities.  The Cash and Counseling Program has been implemented in fifteen other states, allowing those participants to direct and manage their personal assistance services according to their own specific needs.  Your Committee finds that the potential exists to establish a similar Cash and Counseling program here in Hawaii, and a study should be prepared on the implementation of this program.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure to delete the request for the Legislative Reference Bureau to research the possible use of a similar "Cash and Counseling" approach for individuals who are not Medicaid recipients, in order to keep the scope of the study to a manageable size.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 141, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Legislative Management in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 141, H.D. 1.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair