H.C.R. NO. 120 Summary

• Requests the Department of Human Services convene a working group to explore creation of a sustainability fund for Community Care Foster Family Home (CCFFH) and Expanded Adult Residential Care Home (E-ARCH) programs.

• CCFFH program, started in 1979 and federally approved in 1984, currently serves approximately 3,000 patients and costs two-thirds or less than nursing home placement, though reimbursement rates have not kept pace with this cost advantage.

• Working group membership shall include one Senate member, one House member, and representatives from the Executive Office on Aging, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, AARP Hawaii, CCFFH, and E-ARCH programs.

• Working group must submit findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the 2023 Regular Session.

• CCFFH and E-ARCH programs provide nursing-facility-level care with reduced hospital stays and patient morbidity, but lack a dedicated sustainability fund unlike nursing facilities.