Bill > SCR154

This Concurrent Resolution requests the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, a state-run healthcare provider, to collaborate with the Kau Rural Health Community Association, Inc., a non-profit organization focused on rural healthcare access, to conduct a study. This study, known as a needs assessment, will investigate how much people in the Kau district need and can access urgent care, which provides immediate medical attention for non-life-threatening conditions, and outpatient behavioral health services, which are mental health treatments provided on an ongoing basis outside of a hospital setting. The resolution highlights the particular vulnerability of individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions, especially during events like the COVID-19 pandemic, and emphasizes the crucial role of rural health clinics in serving underserved communities like the Kau district by increasing the availability of primary and preventative health services for patients, including those with Medicaid insurance. The Hawaii Health Systems Corporation is also asked to report its findings and any legislative proposals to the state Legislature before the 2023 session.