STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1125-12

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2589

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2589, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOSTER YOUTH,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to help former foster youth in obtaining appropriate medical assistance after they "age out" of foster care at 18 years of age.  Specifically, this measure requires the Department of Human Services with federal approval to offer and provide medical assistance to former foster youth who:

 

            (1)  Are younger than 24 years of age on July 1, 2012, younger than 25 years of age on January 1, 2013, and younger than 26 years of age on January 1, 2014;

 

     (2)  Were under the State's care when they reached 18 years of age or such higher age as the State may elect pursuant to section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i)(IX) regarding the federal state plans for medical assistance of the Social Security Act;

 

     (3)  Were enrolled in the Medicaid Program while in foster care; and

 

     (4)  Have a household income of up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level for Hawaii.

     Also, upon enrollment, the Department of Human Services must provide the former foster youth with written instructions for accessing medical care.

 

     The Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Hawaii Youth Services Network; Family Programs Hawaii; Papa Ola Lokahi; Hawaii Youth Opportunities Initiative, EPIC Ohana, Inc.; and two concerned individuals supported the measure.  The Department of Human Services offered comments on the measure.  

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

              

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to promote further discussion; 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 that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2589, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2589, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair