Hawaii Senate Bill SCR127

Hawaii 2022 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/11/22
• Refer: 3/16/22

Caption

Urging The Department Of Health To Employ The Team 6b Contact Tracing Team As Permanent Staff And Hire Other Members From The Native Hawaiian And Pacific Islander Communities In An Effort To Address The Health Inequities That Exist And Create Better Access To Culturally Relevant Programs For Native Hawaiians And Pacific Islanders.

Impact

The bill highlights the successful efforts of Team 6B in mitigating COVID-19's impact through culturally appropriate outreach and engagement in native languages. By employing community members from these groups, the Department of Health has not only managed to drop COVID-19 case numbers within these communities but has also facilitated better data collection and disaggregation, thereby improving the understanding of health disparities. The resolution calls for ongoing diverse hiring practices to enhance health program accessibility and effectiveness.

Summary

Senate Concurrent Resolution 127 (SCR127) urges the Hawaii Department of Health to make the Team 6B contact tracing team a permanent part of its staff and to hire additional personnel from the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. This initiative is aimed at addressing the significant health inequities that these groups face, particularly in light of the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on them. The resolution recognizes that Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders represent approximately 21% of the state’s population yet accounted for over 50% of COVID-19 cases in 2020 and around 30% in subsequent years.

Contention

While the resolution aims to strengthen health services for underserved communities, it may face challenges such as securing funding for permanent positions and overcoming potential bureaucratic inertia. Additionally, there may be debates surrounding the implementation of diverse hiring practices within the Department of Health, as systemic biases could hinder the full realization of the resolution's goals. Nonetheless, the collective intent remains focused on creating more equitable health outcomes for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations.