STAND. COM. REP. NO. 184

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1193

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Human Services and Public Housing and Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1193 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR KAPIOLANI COMMUNITY COLLEGE'S LONG-TERM CARE RESOURCE PROGRAM TO TRAIN AND EDUCATE HAWAII'S ELDERCARE WORKFORCE,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to Kapiolani Community College to fund its Long-Term Care Resource Program to train a workforce to care for the State's elder population.

 

     The University of Hawaii System, the Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, the Occupational Therapy Association of Hawaii, and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 142 submitted testimony in support of this measure.

 

     Your Committees find that family caregivers have a complex responsibility and often report that they are not prepared for their caregiving role.  A family caregiver's need for information changes throughout the course of the care recipient's illness or condition.  Family caregivers need appropriate, timely, and ongoing education and training in order to successfully meet their caregiving responsibilities.  In addition, family caregivers and their loved ones need an affordable, well-qualified, and sustainable caregiving workforce.  Kapiolani Community College's Long-Term Care Resource Program provides training and education to caregivers.

 

     Your Committees note that, according to the testimony, last year the Legislature authorized 2.5 positions and appropriated $206,913 to establish the Long Term Care Resource Program at Kapiolani Community College.  The appropriation provided funds for nine months of salary for the new positions.  The Executive Biennium Budget for fiscal years 2007-2008 and 2008-2009, for the University of Hawaii includes a budget item for an additional $32,012, to fully fund the positions appropriated last year.

 

     Your Committees urge the Committee on Ways and Means to keep the item in the budget for an additional $32,012, to fully fund the Long-Term Care Resource Program positions at Kapiolani Community College.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Public Housing and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1193 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Public Housing and Education,

 

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair

 

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair