THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	52
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO plan the certification and training process for community health workers to help address the social determinants of poor health that disproportionately affect low-income, minority populations.

 

 

        WHEREAS, during the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, many rural areas in the State were disconnected and unable to receive adequate healthcare services; and

 

        WHEREAS, when rural communities struggled with connectivity, transportation, and financial obligations, community health workers provided a critical lifeline to ensuring that residents' healthcare needs were met; and

 

        WHEREAS, with the rapidly changing global health pandemic, rural communities that have limited healthcare services are at a greater risk of being deprived of access to adequate, timely, and life-saving healthcare services; and

 

        WHEREAS, families living in rural areas comprise diverse communities, including low-income, underserved rural areas, all ethnicities, children, adults, families, elderly individuals, uninsured individuals, homeless individuals, immigrants, and migrant workers; and

 

        WHEREAS, many of these families face language and cultural barriers that require access to assistance and technology regarding healthcare issues; and

 

        WHEREAS, with deepening food insecurity, increasing housing instability, slow job recovery, and the replacement of many in-person health services with telehealth services, the need for community health workers to connect communities to systems of care is greater than ever; and

 

        WHEREAS, increasing the number of community healthcare workers and standardizing their certification and training will help address these issues; now, therefore,

 

        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2021, that the Department of Human Services is requested to establish a community health worker certification task force to plan the certification and training process for community health workers to help address the social determinants of poor health that disproportionately affect low-income, minority populations, which are magnified during times of crisis; and

 

        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Human Services or the Director's designee is requested to serve as the chairperson of the task force; and

 

        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Human Services is requested to invite the following individuals to serve as the members of the task force:

 

        (1)   One community health worker from each county;

 

        (2)   A representative from the University of Hawaii System;

 

        (3)   A representative from the University of Hawaii Office of Public Health Studies;

 

        (4)   A representative from the Hawaii Public Health Institute;

 

        (5)   A representative from the Hawaii Public Housing Authority;

 

        (6)   A representative from the Department of Human Services Med-QUEST Division;

 

        (7)   A representative from the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation;

 

        (8)   A representative from the University of Hawaii West Oahu; and

 

        (9)   A representative from the University of Hawaii School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene; and

 

        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to submit a report detailing the status of the plan for the certification and training process for community health workers, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2022; and

 

        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Human Services, Executive Director of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Director of the Department of Human Services Med-QUEST Division, mayor of each county, President of the University of Hawaii System, and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Hawaii Public Health Institute.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:  

Department of Human Services; Task Force; Community Health Workers