STAND. COM. REP. NO. 684

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 7

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 7, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAID,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Human Services to review and report on its Hawaii pathways project.

 

     Specifically, this measure requires the Department of Human Services to:

 

     (1)  In collaboration with the Department of Health, review the progress of the Hawaii pathways project pilot and continue to pursue efforts to utilize Medicaid to provide supportive housing services for chronically homeless individuals; and

 

     (2)  Report to the Legislature regarding the status of its efforts.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Hawaii Pacific Health, and three individuals.

 

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness.

 

     Your Committee finds that the homelessness epidemic is one of the most significant and challenging problems facing the State.  For many individuals with complex health issues, housing instability can be a significant barrier to receiving regular health care access, which results in the excessive use of emergency room, inpatient, and crisis services.  Providing the chronically homeless with supportive housing services can lessen the burden facing the State's health care system.

 

Your Committee further finds that the Department of Human Services and Department of Health have initiated a project to target supportive housing services for certain chronically homeless individuals.  While the project is still new, it has proven successful in meeting the housing and health care needs of its participants.  Status reports of the project will provide the Legislature with the information necessary to develop a comprehensive strategy to combat the State's homeless epidemic.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an appropriation for an unspecified amount, with a federal matching funds requirement, to be expended by the Department of Human Services for the purposes of the measure. 

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 7, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 7, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair