HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	20
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

URGING THE DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO PROVIDE ADULT RESIDENTIAL CARE HOME OPERATORS WITH THE SERVICES NECESSARY TO ASSIST THEM IN PROVIDING CARE FOR ADULTS.

     WHEREAS, adult residential care home (ARCH) operators provide an invaluable service to the greater community; and

     WHEREAS, ARCHs save taxpayers substantial sums of money that would otherwise be expended for the care of the elderly and disabled, if they were to become wards of the State; and

     WHEREAS, many operators are beset by many challenges such as the high cost of liability insurance that threaten their continued existence; and

     WHEREAS, caring for the elderly and infirm is an honorable profession that is becoming increasingly necessary in the face of Hawaii's ever-expanding elderly population; and

     WHEREAS, with the cost of living in Hawaii it has become increasingly common for multiple family members in a home to hold down several jobs which leaves little time for the 24-hour care an aging relative may require; and

     WHEREAS, it is estimated that by the year 2020 one in four persons in this state will be over the age of 60; and

     WHEREAS, assisted living facilities are well beyond the financial reach of many families who need assistance to care for an aging loved one; and

     WHEREAS, ARCH operators provide for all aspects of a person's needs from scheduling of doctor's appointments or physical therapy programs to providing social interaction with those residents who no longer have family close by; and

     WHEREAS, considering the difficulty of operating an ARCH, and the tremendous services it provides to the State, it behooves the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Human Services (DHS) to work with ARCH operators to ensure a mutually beneficial and respectful relationship; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, the Senate concurring, that DOH and DHS are urged to provide ARCH operators with the services necessary to assist them in providing care for adults; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ARCH operators have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, and valued as primary providers of adult care and members of a professional team providing care; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it is in the best interest of society as a whole that ARCH operators are properly trained and supported for their mission of providing daily care and meeting the needs of adults in ARCH care; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that training, consultation, and assistance in evaluating, identifying, and accessing services to meet needs related to the role of ARCH operators should be made available to those who wish to enter or continue in this profession; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it is in the best interest of those in ARCH care that ARCH operators provide information that will allow DOH and DHS to identify the types of resources and services that would meet the needs of adults currently in their care and those of their families, and to advocate for the same without threat of reprisal; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that information concerning behavioral problems, health history, educational status, cultural and family background, and other issues relative to an adult which are known to DOH and DHS at the time the adult is placed in ARCH care should be made available to all ARCH operators; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DOH and DHS should have a staff person representing the department on call 24-hours a day, seven days a week, for the purpose of assisting ARCH operators to receive departmental assistance; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED ARCH operators should be provided all information pertinent to the adults in their care which DOH and DHS has in its possession; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Health, and Director of Human Services.

Report Title: 

ARCH Operators; DHS; DOH