HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.B. NO.
1445
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to kupuna care.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Act 102, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017, authorized the executive office on aging to establish the kupuna caregivers program to assist caregivers by providing assistance to allow them to remain in the workforce while their loved ones are provided with necessary support services. The legislature further finds that the kupuna caregivers program is critical to supporting the well-being of caregivers who are sometimes elderly themselves, or who may need to consider leaving their jobs or taking a significant cut in pay to care for their parents. Hawaii's aging population continues to grow, and caregiver assistance is critical to supporting caregivers' own health as well as the health of Hawaii's kupuna. Act 102, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017, appropriated $600,000 for the initial establishment and development of the program.
The purpose of this Act is to:
(1) Require the executive office on aging to include in its annual report to the legislature a section detailing outcomes of the kupuna caregivers program;
(2) Require the executive office on aging to offer a plan to maximize the number of recipients served by the program and offer certain core services; and
(3) Include additional services to be provided by the kupuna caregivers program.
SECTION 2. Section 349-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
"(b) The planning and administrative services division shall engage in the following activities, including but not limited to:
(1) Preparation and submission of programs and budgets;
(2) Preparation of an annual evaluation report on elder programs for the governor and legislature[;], which shall include a section detailing outcomes of the kupuna caregivers program, including but not limited to:
(A) Evaluation metrics;
(B) A cost breakdown and analysis of individuals served, by county and type of service received;
(C) Consolidated data of the existing waiting list broken down by county; and
(D) Recommendations to support the implementation and execution of the program;
(3) Preparation of studies and analysis;
(4) Maintenance of personnel records;
(5) Management of contracts and agreements entered into by the executive office on aging with public and private vendors, consultants, and suppliers;
(6) Monitoring the purchase of service agreements with public and private agencies and rendering technical assistance to elder program service providers; and
(7) Establishment and maintenance of reimbursement systems for services provided by agreement with federal, state, and county agencies, as well as private groups."
SECTION 3. Section 349-18, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (b) and (c) to read as follows:
"(b) The program shall be coordinated and administered by the executive office on aging and implemented through the area agency on aging. The executive office on aging shall offer a plan to:
(1) Maximize the number of participants served by the program; and
(2) Offer the core services listed in subsection (c).
(c) The kupuna caregivers program shall award an allocation of funds, subject to the availability of funding and up to a maximum of [$70] $ per day, to cover costs for [the following] services that would otherwise be performed by the qualified caregiver for the care recipient[:], including but not limited to:
(1) Activities of daily living;
[(1)](2) Adult day care;
[(2)](3) Assisted transportation;
[(3)](4) Chores;
[(4)](5) Home-delivered meals;
[(5)](6) Homemaker services;
[(6)](7) Personal care;
[(7)](8) Respite care; or
[(8)](9) Transportation;
provided that the daily benefit for each qualified recipient is limited to once per week; provided further that the allocated funds shall be issued directly to the service provider upon request and receipt of an invoice for services rendered."
SECTION 4. Section 349-16, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending the definition of "service provider" to read as follows:
""Service provider" means an entity that has all required licenses or certificates[,] including licensing under chapter 321, and is registered as a business entity in the State."
SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2019-2020 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020-2021 to be expended for the kupuna caregivers program; provided that the executive office on aging shall limit the frequency of benefits paid for each qualified recipient to once per week.
The sumsappropriated shall be expended by the executive office on aging for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 6. The executive office on aging shall submit a copy of the kupuna caregivers program plan, as required by section 349-18(b), Hawaii Revised Statutes, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2020.
SECTION 7. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 8. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2019.
INTRODUCED BY:
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Report Title:
Kupuna Caregiver Program; Appropriation; Office on Aging; Report
Description:
Requires Executive Office on Aging to include details on outcomes of the Kupuna Caregivers Program in its annual report. Requires Office on Aging to create a plan to maximize number of participants in the program and offer core services, requires plan submission to Legislature. Appropriates funds for program.
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