HI SB530

Establishes one full-time equivalent permanent program specialist IV position on Oahu within the executive office on aging's long-term care ombudsman program.

Appropriates funds for fiscal years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 to support the long-term care ombudsman program, with distribution to the City and County of Honolulu and the counties of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui.

Addresses Hawaii's understaffing of long-term care ombudsmen, which was reduced to only a director in 2015, making Hawaii the only state with a single-person ombudsman program despite having over 12,000 long-term care residents.

Provides funding for contracted services in neighbor island counties (Hawaii, Kauai, Maui) to ensure equal access to ombudsman services across all islands.

Cites the 1995 Institute of Medicine recommendation of one full-time ombudsman per 2,000 long-term care residents, indicating Hawaii should have a minimum of six ombudsmen based on current resident population.