THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

64

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

  
   

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

requesting a study of state programs involved with or providing long-term care services FOR hawaii's elderly.

 

WHEREAS, current demographics indicate that this State's population is rapidly aging, and that there are over 207,000 older adults in this State; and

WHEREAS, by the year 2020, persons aged sixty-five and over will constitute over one-fourth of Hawaii's adult population, and nearly one-third of this group are expected to be disabled; and

WHEREAS, in the next ten years, it will be critical for the State to be prepared for the coming aging of our population; and

WHEREAS, the spectrum of issues which affect older adults is extremely broad, at times complex, and crosses over departmental lines; and

WHEREAS, a comprehensive definition of the roles and responsibilities of all affected agencies is necessary to develop new policies on aging and long-term, care-related goals and implementation of state programs; and

WHEREAS, in times of tight operational funding, it may be efficient to consider consolidating functions in a streamlined and orderly system of services to the elderly and disabled; 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 there be established a committee within the department of health for administrative purposes, to conduct a study of existing statutory and regulatory frameworks for all state programs involved with and providing long-term care services for Hawaii's elderly; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a total of ten members shall comprise the committee, and shall be selected by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that of the members selected, the senate president and the speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint two co-chairs to head the committee; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee be comprised of a representative of the Department of Health, a representative of the Department of Human services, a representative of the Executive Office on Aging, a representative from the Department of Human Resources Development, a representative from each county Office on Aging, a representative from the Department of Budget and Finance, a representative from the Department of Taxation, a representative from the state council on developmental disabilities, a representative from the state health planning and development agency, a representative from the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, a representative from the Hawaii Long-Term Care Association, a private provider of long-term care, and representatives of elderly and disabled advocacy organizations; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Director of Health, Director of Human Services, Director of the Executive Office on Aging, the executive director of each county Office on Aging, the Director of Human Resources Development, the Director of Finance, the Director of Taxation, the administrator of the state council on developmental disabilities, the administrator of the state health planning and development agency, the executive director of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and the executive director of the Hawaii Long-Term Care Association.

Report Title:

Requesting a study committee on long-term care for Hawaii's elderly