| 47 | | - | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that access to health care is often complicated for rural residents. Many of the State's specialty practices are located in the urban portions of Oahu, and many medical specialists are unwilling to practice in underserved rural areas of the State. This inherent barrier to care underscores the severe need for comprehensive health care coordination in rural areas. The legislature further finds that the department of health's office of primary care and rural health, in partnership with community organizations such as Community First, conducted a community health needs assessment for Hawaii island titled "Access to Care -- Health for Our Communities". The assessment analyzes 3,287 resident survey responses and identifies delays in health care delivery as residents' greatest obstacle to care. Nearly six in ten respondents report delays, often due to the limited availability of specialists. The legislature further finds that larger societal concerns, including affordable housing, the State's high cost of living, transportation difficulties, and child care challenges are barriers to care that disproportionately affect residents of underserved rural areas. To ensure health equity, the State must look beyond the symptoms of social determinants of health to address the root causes of negative health outcomes that disproportionately affect rural communities, low-income communities, communities of color, and sexual and gender minorities. The legislature further finds that coordinated efforts at all levels are necessary to examine social determinants that impact a community's access to health care resources and to improve public health. The establishment of a strong health network in underserved areas would allow these areas to efficiently develop health care plans that encompass preventative and primary health care, specialty care, and urgent and emergency care. Comprehensive plans to align health care priorities with existing resources will foster collaboration between providers, avoid service duplication, and streamline care delivery for the State's most vulnerable residents. The purpose of this Act is to: (1) Require the office of primary care and rural health to oversee and support community efforts to collaboratively address the health and wellness needs of the State's most underserved rural residents and facilitate discussions between key community health and social service organizations to develop plans to address community needs highlighted by the Access to Care (ATC) needs assessment; and (2) Appropriate funds for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) program specialist IV position within the department of health's family health services division. SECTION 2. (a) The office of primary care and rural health shall oversee and support community efforts to collaboratively address the health and wellness needs of the State's most underserved rural residents and facilitate discussions between key community health and social service organizations to develop plans that align with appropriate providers' goals and objectives. (b) The office of primary care and rural health shall include a one-time summary of community plans addressing the (Access to Care) ATC needs assessment with the report that is to be submitted to the legislature prior to the regular session of 2024, pursuant to section 321-1.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes. SECTION 3. 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 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the establishment of one permanent full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) program specialist IV position within the department of health's family health services division to: (1) Oversee the development of community plans; and (2) Coordinate efforts across departments and nonprofit community partners to address the social determinants of health and health equity issues affecting underserved rural areas statewide; provided that the funds shall support travel and activities necessary for the development of the community plans. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050. |
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| 47 | + | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that accessing care is often complicated for neighbor island residents. Most of the State's specialty practices are located on Oahu, since many medical specialists are unwilling to practice in underserved rural areas of the State. This inherent barrier to accessing care underscores the severe need for comprehensive health care coordination on the neighbor islands. The legislature further finds that the department of health's office of primary care and rural health, in partnership with community organizations such as Community First, conducted a community health needs assessment for Hawaii island titled "Access to Care -- Health for Our Communities". The assessment analyzes 3,287 resident survey responses and identifies delays in health care delivery as residents' greatest obstacle to care. Nearly six in ten respondents report delays, often due to limited availability of specialists practicing on Oahu. The legislature further finds that larger societal concerns such as affordable housing, the State's high cost of living, transportation difficulties, and child care challenges are barriers to care disproportionately affecting residents of underserved rural areas. To ensure health equity, the State must look beyond the symptoms of social determinants of health to address the root causes of negative health outcomes disproportionately affecting rural communities, low-income communities, communities of color, and sexual and gender minorities. The legislature further finds that coordinated efforts at all levels are necessary to examine social determinants impacting a community's access to health care resources and improve public health. The establishment of a strong health network in underserved areas would allow these areas to efficiently develop a health care plan encompassing preventative and primary health care, specialty care, and urgent and emergency care. On Hawaii island, a comprehensive plan to align health care priorities with existing resources will foster collaboration between providers, avoid service duplication, streamline care delivery for the island's most vulnerable residents, and serve as a model for other counties. The purpose of this Act is to: (1) Require the office of primary care and rural health to establish and administer a pilot program to collaboratively address the health and wellness needs of Hawaii county's most underserved residents and facilitate discussions between key Hawaii county community health and social service organizations to develop a 2030 one shared health vision plan for Hawaii county; and (2) Appropriate funds for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) program specialist IV position within the department of health's family health services division. SECTION 2. (a) The office of primary care and rural health shall establish and administer a pilot program to collaboratively address the health and wellness needs of Hawaii county's most underserved residents and facilitate discussions between key Hawaii county community health and social service organizations to develop a 2030 one shared health vision plan for Hawaii county that aligns with appropriate providers' goals and objectives. (b) The office of primary care and rural health shall submit the 2030 one shared health vision plan required by subsection (a), including any proposed long-term legislative grant-in-aid requests, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2024. SECTION 3. 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 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the establishment of one permanent full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) program specialist IV position within the department of health's family health services division to: (1) Oversee the development of community plans; and (2) Coordinate efforts across departments and nonprofit community partners to address the social determinants of health and health equity issues affecting underserved rural areas statewide; provided that the funds shall support travel and activities necessary for the development of the community plans. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2023. |
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