HB1771

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the Hawaii healthy aging partnership was established in 2003 to improve the health status of older adults by empowering residents to make healthy decisions and engage in healthier lifestyles. Since the partnership's formation, the partnership has successfully adapted evidence-based health promotion programs and disease prevention programs for Hawaii's multicultural population. Participants may engage in two evidenced-based interventions: Better Choices Better Health (Ke Ola Pono, or "living well") empowers and teaches participants to manage chronic disease, and EnhanceFitness offers an effective research-driven exercise program to improve the overall functional fitness and well-being of older adults. Due to the many accomplishments of the Hawaii healthy aging partnership, the partnership received the 2013 Award for Excellence in Multicultural Aging from the American Society on Aging. This accomplishment brought further recognition to the partnership's role in improving the health of Hawaii's diverse aging population.

The legislature also finds that Act 103, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017, and Act 124, Session Laws of Hawaii 2019, appropriated state funds for the healthy aging partnership for fiscal years 2017-2018 and 2019-2020, respectively; however, the partnership did not receive state funding for fiscal years 2018-2019 and 2020-2022. The partnership also receives a small amount of supplemental funding from county appropriations and federal funds from the Older Americans Act.

The legislature further finds that during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the healthy aging partnership was forced to close all EnhanceFitness sites and cancel Better Choices Better Health workshops and trainings due to the State's prohibitions against in-person classes. A survey of EnhanceFitness participants on the impacts of COVID-19 found that nearly all active participants were negatively impacted by the pandemic and felt their health had declined. The survey also showed that kupuna needed access to safe and effective health promotion activities. To overcome these challenges, the healthy aging partnership developed activities in alternative formats. As of October 2021, the program has served more than three hundred ninety-two kupuna during the pandemic.

More than sixty-five participants in Kauai county attended modified exercise classes online, and more than ninety participants in Maui county joined via a televised airing. When pandemic restrictions eased, the healthy aging partnership started offering in-person small group EnhanceFitness classes. These classes served ninety-seven kupuna in Kauai county. Virtual EnhanceFitness classes continued to serve sixty kupuna in Maui county.

Better Choices Better Health offered its chronic disease self-management education remotely by mailing toolkits to participants and holding classes via telephone for those who were not tech-savvy. These classes had fifty-seven participants across Kauai county, Hawaii county, and the city and county of Honolulu. Virtual workshops served sixteen participants in the city and county of Honolulu, and asynchronous online classes served seven participants from Kauai county and the city and county of Honolulu.

Preliminary evaluation findings show that during the pandemic, the EnhanceFitness and Better Choices Better Health programs remained effective in all outcome measures. Additionally, healthy aging partnership partners have gained skills and experience in offering programming in alternative formats. As COVID-19 restrictions ease, the healthy aging partnership is ready to scale up programs in both remote and in-person formats to help more kupuna stay healthy. However, limited funding for the partnership inhibits programs from continuing and expanding to meet the needs of kupuna. Currently, the partnership depends on stretching the state appropriation for fiscal year 2019-2020 to maintain certain program activities.

The legislature recognizes that, without continued funding, the Hawaii healthy aging partnership may be forced to end. As a result, the executive office on aging will fail to meet the first goal of the Hawaii state plan on aging to maximize opportunities for older adults to age well, remain active, and enjoy life in their communities.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds for the Hawaii healthy aging partnership to continue to improve the health and well-being of Hawaii's kupuna.

SECTION 2. In accordance with section 9 of article VII of the Hawaii State Constitution and sections 37-91 and 37-93, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the legislature has determined that the appropriations contained in Act 164, Regular Session of 2023, and this Act will cause the state general fund expenditure ceiling for fiscal year 2024-2025 to be exceeded by $ or per cent. This current declaration takes into account general fund appropriations authorized for fiscal year 2024-2025 in Act 164, Regular Session of 2023, and this Act only. The reasons for exceeding the general fund expenditure ceiling are that:

(1) The appropriation made in this Act is necessary to serve the public interest; and

(2) The appropriation made in this Act meets the needs addressed by this Act.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $600,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 to fund the Hawaii healthy aging partnership to improve the health and well-being of Hawaii's kupuna.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the executive office on aging of the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1771
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII