HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.R. NO. 142 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 STATE OF HAWAII HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP MINIMUM PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER TRAINING PROGRAMS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.R. NO. 142
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.R. NO.
142
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
HOUSE RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP MINIMUM PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER TRAINING PROGRAMS.
WHEREAS, social determinants of health are non-medical factors affecting health, such as socioeconomic status and geographic location; and WHEREAS, social determinants of health include the conditions in which individuals are born and raised, learn, work, live, and age; and WHEREAS, social determinants encompass economic policies, development agendas, social norms, social policies, race and ethnicity, climate change, and political structures; and WHEREAS, community health workers are trusted members of local communities who share lived experiences with their neighbors and peers and are experts in navigating complex systems of care and serving as a link between clinical and community-based services and the individuals who need them most; and WHEREAS, the efforts of community health workers have been shown to reduce the burden of illness among individuals with chronic diseases and to improve these individuals' ability to manage their own conditions; and WHEREAS, the participation of community health workers can improve personal health literacy, which is the degree to which individuals can find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others; and WHEREAS, federal, state, and local jurisdictions across the nation take into account quality assurance and minimum professional standards for community health workers; and WHEREAS, however, Hawaii has not yet developed such quality assurance and minimum professional standards; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Department of Health is requested to convene a task force to identify and develop minimum professional standards for community health worker training programs; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Health is requested to invite representatives from the following stakeholder groups to serve on the task force: (1) The Department of Health, the representative of whom is requested to serve as the chairperson of the task force; (2) The Med-QUEST Division of the Department of Human Services; (3) University of Hawaii - West Oahu; (4) Kapiolani Community College; (5) One community health worker from each county; (6) The Hawaii Community Health Worker Association; (7) The Hawaii Public Health Institute; (8) The Healthcare Association of Hawaii; (9) Papa Ola Lokahi; (10) The Hawaii Primary Care Association; (11) The Hawaii Association of Health Plans; and (12) Any additional individuals with appropriate specialized expertise, if recommended by task force members and approved by the chairperson of the task force; provided that the members identified in paragraphs (1) to (11) constitute at least fifty percent of the members of the task force; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to provide any necessary administrative support to the task force, including the preparation and drafting of the report; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health, Director of Human Services, Chairperson of the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii, President of the University of Hawaii, Chancellor of the University of Hawaii - West Oahu, Chancellor of Kapiolani Community College, Chairperson of the Hawaii Community Health Worker Association, Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Public Health Institute, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Chief Executive Officer of Papa Ola Lokahi, Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Primary Care Association, and President of the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Association of Health Plans. OFFERED BY: _____________________________
WHEREAS, social determinants of health are non-medical factors affecting health, such as socioeconomic status and geographic location; and
WHEREAS, social determinants of health include the conditions in which individuals are born and raised, learn, work, live, and age; and
WHEREAS, social determinants encompass economic policies, development agendas, social norms, social policies, race and ethnicity, climate change, and political structures; and
WHEREAS, community health workers are trusted members of local communities who share lived experiences with their neighbors and peers and are experts in navigating complex systems of care and serving as a link between clinical and community-based services and the individuals who need them most; and
WHEREAS, the efforts of community health workers have been shown to reduce the burden of illness among individuals with chronic diseases and to improve these individuals' ability to manage their own conditions; and
WHEREAS, the participation of community health workers can improve personal health literacy, which is the degree to which individuals can find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others; and
WHEREAS, federal, state, and local jurisdictions across the nation take into account quality assurance and minimum professional standards for community health workers; and
WHEREAS, however, Hawaii has not yet developed such quality assurance and minimum professional standards; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Department of Health is requested to convene a task force to identify and develop minimum professional standards for community health worker training programs; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Health is requested to invite representatives from the following stakeholder groups to serve on the task force:
(1) The Department of Health, the representative of whom is requested to serve as the chairperson of the task force;
(2) The Med-QUEST Division of the Department of Human Services;
(3) University of Hawaii - West Oahu;
(4) Kapiolani Community College;
(5) One community health worker from each county;
(6) The Hawaii Community Health Worker Association;
(7) The Hawaii Public Health Institute;
(8) The Healthcare Association of Hawaii;
(9) Papa Ola Lokahi;
(10) The Hawaii Primary Care Association;
(11) The Hawaii Association of Health Plans; and
(12) Any additional individuals with appropriate specialized expertise, if recommended by task force members and approved by the chairperson of the task force; provided that the members identified in paragraphs (1) to (11) constitute at least fifty percent of the members of the task force; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to provide any necessary administrative support to the task force, including the preparation and drafting of the report; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health, Director of Human Services, Chairperson of the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii, President of the University of Hawaii, Chancellor of the University of Hawaii - West Oahu, Chancellor of Kapiolani Community College, Chairperson of the Hawaii Community Health Worker Association, Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Public Health Institute, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Chief Executive Officer of Papa Ola Lokahi, Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Primary Care Association, and President of the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Association of Health Plans.
OFFERED BY: _____________________________
OFFERED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title: Community Health Workers; Training Programs; Minimum Professional Standards; Department of Health; Task Force
Report Title:
Community Health Workers; Training Programs; Minimum Professional Standards; Department of Health; Task Force