THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

35

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

H.D. 1

   


SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

SUPPORTING THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS AND THE PARTNERING INITIATIVES OF THE Veterans' administration (VA) STATE HOME CONSTRUCTION OFFICE IN WASHINGTON, D.C., THE HAWAII HEALTH SYSTEMS CORPORATION, THE HAWAII VA MEDICAL and REGIONAL OFFICE CENTER (VAMROC), AND THE HAWAII OFFICE OF VETERANS' SERVICES, TO ESTABLISH A STATE-OF-THE-ART VA STATE HOME FACILITY ON THE CAMPUS OF THE HILO MEDICAL CENTER WHICH WILL PROVIDE CRITICALLY NEEDED, HIGH QUALITY, ACCESSIBLE LONG-TERM CARE SERVICES TO VA BENEFICIARIES residING IN EAST HAWAII COUNTY.

 

WHEREAS, the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations has officially expressed concern that the long-term care needs of the "mandated VA-eligible" veterans residing in East Hawaii county are not being met; and

WHEREAS, the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations has directed the VA State Home Construction Office to work with the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation to assess the long-term care needs of veterans residing in Hawaii county, and to make recommendations no later than March 1, 2002, on the most cost-effective means of providing a State Veterans home in East Hawaii county, including the option of new construction; and

WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii is one of the only states in the nation that does not have a VA State Home for the long-term needs of VA beneficiaries; and

WHEREAS, East Hawaii county has the second largest population of VA beneficiaries outside of Oahu, and a large proportion of those beneficiaries are elderly and have limited income and limited access to long-term care services; and

WHEREAS, the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation and the Hilo Medical Center have previously established a very positive and collaborative working relationship with the Hawaii VA Medical and Regional Office Center (VAMROC) to improve upon the quality, diversity, and accessibility of health care on the neighbor islands; and

WHEREAS, the federally funded VA State Home Construction Program is prepared to fund up to 65 percent of all construction costs for a VA State Home facility on the campus of the Hilo Medical Center; and

WHEREAS, the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation is actively pursuing private development financing for the remaining 35 percent balance in support of the VA State Home construction project; and

WHEREAS, many East Hawaii county residents and community leaders throughout the Hilo area have expressed strong support for the construction of a VA long-term care facility such as the proposed 200-bed VA State Home; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-First Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2002, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Legislature strongly supports and wholeheartedly endorses the collaborative efforts and the partnering initiatives being undertaken by the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, VAMROC, VA State Home Construction office, and the Hawaii State Office of Veterans Services to establish a 200-bed VA State Home facility on the campus of the Hilo Medical Center; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, the Hawaii VAMROC, the Hawaii State Veterans Services Office, and the VA State Home Construction Office.

 

 

 

 

Report Title:

Supporting the construction of a VA hospital facility in Hilo