REPORT TITLE:
Ka`u Rural Health Plan


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates $       for FY 1999-2000 and $       for FY
2000-2001 to fund the Ka`u rural health plan: (1) Ka`u Hospital
emergency room; (2) CPR/first aid demonstration project; (3)
transportation coordinator.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           103
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO IMPLEMENT THE KA`U RURAL HEALTH PLAN.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that in a 1996 study of
 
 2 twenty-eight distinct communities throughout the State by the
 
 3 department of health, entitled "Primary Care Needs Assessment",
 
 4 the service area of Ka`u ranked second as the highest risk area
 
 5 in terms of health and socioeconomic risk.  The same study showed
 
 6 that Ka`u is the highest risk area in terms of maternal and child
 
 7 health risk indicators, such as infant mortality, inadequate
 
 8 prenatal care, low birthweight births, reported medical risk
 
 9 births, and teen births.  In addition, not only are the majority
 
10 of Ka`u residents located between thirty and sixty miles away
 
11 from an adequate emergency medical facility, but only a handful
 
12 of physicians through limited health care facilities provide much
 
13 needed medical care and services for Ka`u residents.
 
14      In response to these needs, the legislature resolved in
 
15 Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 31, S.D. 1, 1998, to request the
 
16 department of health to develop a rural health plan for the
 
17 Island of Hawaii, including the districts of Puna and Ka`u, to
 
18 ensure the improvement of health facilities and make available
 
19 sufficient medical services to all of its residents.  The
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           103
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 department of health was also requested to aggressively explore
 
 2 ways to obtain or maximize federal funding for the purpose of
 
 3 implementing the rural health plan.
 
 4      Since then, the Ka`u Rural Health Community Association has
 
 5 been working with the department of health, health care
 
 6 providers, and the Ka`u community to develop the Ka`u rural
 
 7 health plan.  The purpose of this Act is to implement the
 
 8 recommendations of the Ka`u Rural Health Community Association
 
 9 with regard to emergency room service in Ka`u, a cardio-pulmonary
 
10 resuscitation/first aid demonstration project, and transportation
 
11 for youth, elderly, and persons with special needs.
 
12      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
13 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          , or so
 
14 much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000, and
 
15 the sum of $          , or so much thereof as may be necessary
 
16 for fiscal year 2000-2001, to fund the Ka`u rural health plan as
 
17 follows:
 
18      (1)  Ka`u Hospital twenty-four-hour emergency room;
 
19      (2)  A a two-year department of health cardio-pulmonary
 
20           resuscitation (CPR)/first aid demonstration project in
 
21           the district of Ka`u.  The project shall build
 
22           community resources, improve the quality of life of
 
23           residents in Ka`u, and provide health education and
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           103
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1           prevention training, including CPR training, to
 
 2           residents of Ka`u, a federally designated medically
 
 3           underserved area which has a shortage of health care
 
 4           professionals.  The project shall terminate on June 30,
 
 5           2001;
 
 6      (3)  A transportation coordinator for Ka`u who shall address
 
 7           community concerns regarding inadequate transportation
 
 8           for youth, elderly, and persons with special needs.
 
 9      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
10 health for the purposes of this Act.
 
11      SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval
 
12 except that section 2 shall take effect on July 1, 1999.
 
13 
 
14                              INTRODUCED BY:______________________