Report Title:

UH; joint DHS ventures

Description:

Requires the UH to develop, establish and implement as many joint ventures and partnerships as possible with the DHS to enhance the receipt of federal dollars by the University and the Department.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2363

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO FEDERAL REVENUE MAXIMIZATION FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

 

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

Section 1. The University of Hawaii and the department of human services have established several joint partnerships and collaborative initiatives, in which the university, through its various departments and faculties, provides many services that substantially support the department of human services in fulfilling its mission to assist needy families and children in Hawaii. These services include student internships, research, evaluation, and quality assurance, and staff training and development. These ventures have been well received by both agencies and the community-at-large.

Many of these activities are eligible for partial reimbursement under the provisions of title IV-E of the Social Security Act. Public Law No. 96-272, the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980, title IV-E offers federal financial participation.

The university's participation in these joint endeavors is most beneficial to the State because public universities can use their administrative and overhead costs as a state match to draw down federal dollars. This substantially reduces the amount of state funds necessary to claim the relevant federal financial participation.

The collaborative projects have been uniformly successful, but represent only a small fraction of the potential enhanced services that could be provided by a fuller utilization of these federal funding streams that have been largely untapped in Hawaii. Through the pursuit and optimal utilization of all available federal funds, the State will be able to substantially increase the moneys available for services to the children and families under its care and supervision.

Title IV-E, in particular, is in imminent danger of being converted to a block grant from its current status as a federal entitlement program. This would eliminate the required federal financial participation contribution by the federal government, instead capping federal funding at the block grant appropriation amount. This means that Hawaii's allocation would be capped based on its current reimbursement levels. It is, therefore, critical that the State maximize its claims for federal reimbursements before the block grant conversion occurs.

In 2002, the last full year for which complete data is available, Hawaii received $17,045,476 in title IV-E reimbursements. This figure put the State in thirty-eighth place among the fifty states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in terms of total reimbursements. Hawaii's youth population, on the other hand, is increasing faster than the rest of the country. In 1995, Hawaii already ranked twenty-fourth in the nation in the percentage of its population under twenty years of age and it is estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau to rank sixth in the nation by 2025. A block grant that would freeze allocations at current reimbursement levels would have a devastating impact on the State, particularly in light of the projected rapid increase in Hawaii's youth population.

It is imperative, therefore, that the State do everything in its power to increase the level of its reimbursements as quickly as possible, so as to augment the baseline upon which a future block grant would be based. The services available in Hawaii through the department of human services and its various subcontractors that are potentially eligible for title IV-E claiming, are currently not optimally utilizing federal funds.

The purpose of this Act is to mandate the University of Hawaii to develop, establish, and implement as many joint ventures and partnerships as possible with the department of human services to enhance the receipt of federal dollars by the university and the department. Time is of the essence and it is important that the university devote the time and resources needed to coordinate with the department of human services in quickly establishing new programs, projects, and joint endeavors designed to enhance the receipt of federal dollars by the university and the department.

Section 2. (a) The University of Hawaii, in collaboration with the department of human services, shall establish a federal revenue maximization program to:

(1) Identify, develop, and establish services, programs, and joint ventures provided through the university or in collaboration with the department of human services that are eligible for federal reimbursement; and

(2) Submit claims for federal reimbursement for such services through the department of human services.

(b) In establishing the federal revenue maximization program, the president of the University of Hawaii and the director of human services shall execute a memorandum of agreement to develop and implement a federal revenue maximization program for services provided through the university or in collaboration with the department of human services that are eligible for federal reimbursement.

(c) The university shall expedite the approval and funding processes necessary to successfully develop and implement the programs, endeavors, and services envisioned herein; and

(d) The department of human services and the university shall provide mutual technical assistance and support to one another in order to obtain the maximum level of federal reimbursements under this Act.

Section 3. The University of Hawaii shall submit a report each year to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each of the 2007 to 2010 regular sessions that shall include, but not be limited to:

(1) The number of new initiatives that have been established and implemented pursuant to this Act;

(2) The amount of additional funding that has been secured;

(3) The amount of claims pending;

(4) The amount of additional federal funding that is projected to be secured over the next five years; and

(5) Plans for the reinvestment of additional federal funds to expand needed services to the State's children.

Section 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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BY REQUEST