STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1017

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  H.B. No. 549
                                        H.D. 1
                                        S.D. 1



Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred H.B. No. 549, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO ESTABLISH A
     LONG-TERM CARE VOLUNTEER OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the
Department of Health (DOH) to establish a long-term care (LTC)
volunteer ombudsman program.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Executive Office on Aging, Healthcare Association of
Hawaii, Hawaii Long Term Care Association, Policy Advisory Board
for Elder Affairs, and two private citizens.

     The LTC ombudsman program is a federally mandated program
which is funded through the Older Americans Act of 1965.  The
program is charged with the responsibility of serving as an
advocate for residents living in licensed nursing facilities and
adult residential care homes, especially those who may be unable
or afraid to speak for themselves.  The purpose of the program is
to ensure that quality outreach services are provided to this
population.  The program funding includes a volunteer
coordinator, clerical staff, ground and air travel, training, and
miscellaneous volunteer reimbursements.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1017
                                   Page 2


     Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its
contents and inserting the provisions from S.B. No. 128, S.D. 1,
that:

     (1)  Clarify in section 1 that the ombudsman program is
          charged with the responsibility of serving as an
          advocate for 6,780 residents living in 46 licensed
          nursing facilities and 542 adult residential care
          homes;

     (2)  Change the appropriation from $1 to $90,721;

     (3)  Delete "clerical staff" and insert "clerk steno" in the
          appropriation; and

     (4)  Make technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes
          of clarity and to reflect preferred drafting style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of H.B. No. 549, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that
it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. 549,
H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and
Means.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
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