HI HB870

Requires the Department of Human Services to establish a Neighbor Islands Blind and Visually Impaired Service Pilot Program to provide training and support services to blind and visually impaired residents on neighbor islands (counties with populations under 500,000).

Pilot program shall provide peer-to-peer outreach, sight loss adjustment counseling, mobility training, technology awareness, daily living skills, orientation and mobility training, and special needs transportation assistance through volunteer service corps members.

Department must contract with a nonprofit organization to recruit, train, and supervise volunteers; the nonprofit must have a management team with a majority of blind or visually impaired members and local chapters on neighbor islands.

Department shall establish a working group of neighbor island residents who are blind or visually impaired to develop an implementation plan and submit it to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the 2024 regular session; must submit a final report by thirty days before the 2027 regular session.

Appropriates unspecified general revenue funds for fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 to establish and operate the pilot program; program terminates July 30, 2027.