HI SR8

Expresses strong support for establishment of the Wahiawa Center for Community Health to provide primary healthcare services to the medically underserved population of Wahiawa and surrounding rural communities

Documents that 54% of approximately 43,000 Wahiawa residents are designated as a Medically Underserved Population, with 35% on Medicaid and 44% at or below 200% of poverty level

Notes that 86% of survey respondents seek medical care outside Wahiawa, and 42% delayed needed medical care due to inability to get timely appointments and long wait times

States that at full capacity, the Wahiawa Center for Community Health will create approximately 70 full-time jobs directly and 39 full-time jobs indirectly, contributing $11 million annually to the local economy and $365,000 to state and local taxes

Indicates the center was incorporated in January 2012 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity and received a $250,000 state grant in 2014 for facility repairs and renovations to the Wahiawa Medical Building