In this case, you have multiple campuses with with or multiple rooms and classrooms within the same campus. Yes. But not all jobs go to bond. Yes, you're you're right. You're right. And so we need we need to have a process of check and balance. There's no question about that. Uh but with regard to the goods and services, as I said, uh just coming back from my puff high school, the the principal has very unique uh procurement needs for health and so it's unlike others. So, so having the latitude for a higher dollar amount and some ex exemption powers. I know we're we're diving into more autonomy that the DOE has currently. Uh but I understand your concern. Yeah, if I was looking for an expensive health table, one that the superintendent I would want to hear from a lot of different people to make sure that I get a competitive bid.
I hate to go to just somebody that I know or two people and all of a sudden I think, oh yeah, that table is 25$ 26,000 and then I find out, wow, there are other people that are willing to go to 23,000 or 20. Um, you know, so you limit yourself. Um, you know, I regularly go on eBay and Amazon before I buy anything anymore because I want to make sure that I'm getting the best price. It's like, call up people. They don't even want to give you prices over the phone anymore. they they don't have time to answer the phone. You know, they tell you go to our website. So, I I I'm not comprehending how this will make it quicker, faster, more efficient, and and prevent us from doing problems that we've had in the past, and we continue to have on bundling and on parceling.
Um, and and that's the price that we have to assure the state and yourself and state procurement office. There are going to be vendors that provide that kind of technology. that's very unique and it's probably leading edge and so the ability to be innovative and move forward. Don't you go to RFT if you want to is innovative and and so forth you can um I guess in this case it might be more of a sole source and justifying to SPO why this we do we do so why aren't you using that ability instead of getting a blanket blanket procurement um exemption that everybody else want to get the same thing that is one of the tools in in the arsenal that that they can apply absolutely Thank you, Bonnie. So, what is the um amount now that they have to go out for or use the electronic system?
25,000. 25,000,000. Yes. 10 before I thought we to 25. I don't recall. I I I only remember 25 and as I said of the executive branch departments we mandated that they go 15 I'm sorry mandated that executive branch departments have to use hypo for goods and services over 15,000 said 5 no5 um superintendent you know um You recently passed um a bill to says the the schools have to provide menstrual products for your your students. Yes. So what does that cost in the in terms of this is an example set so that the committee members can understand for 200 well it would be 257 schools or would it be all schools that you're going to have to purchase these products for? It would be for all schools, but chair, um, elementary school students, we're looking at supporting them sometimes as low as grade five. So, have you guys looked at what it's going to cost you to do that to the basic minstal products that you would need to do?
Uh, let me check. What I'm getting at is just, you know, what what you guys are looking at and then, um, how long it's going to take you guys to go out to do the bid on this and get it to the schools. Can I ask right now with the money that was appropriated um with that bill, we based on a formula for each school, the money was distributed to the school and we limited purchase of only the products, not of dispensers, so that we can use this year and next year to establish what it's going to cost for each school. So we we um had an idea um when we multiplied the number of products used times the number of days times the number of girls um or um persons who are menrating in the schools um that was our formula. Now we're giving it this year and next year to see if that formula is accurate or if adjustments need to be made.
But we took the appropriated money and um distributed to the schools. So I'm assuming then in that case most of the uh schools would would be able to purchase their products for under $2.5. Most of the schools. Yes. Thank you. One man follow up. So but isn't it cheaper if you buy it in bulk? Yes, it is. Right. Yes. Because you buy toilet paper, you buy paper towels all in bulk. Yes. And Right. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. But I guess Senator, what I'm getting at is that if they don't distribute it to the schools, the schools will not get it in time if they're having to go through this this process all the time. And I don't know if uh the schools have the capacity to store ahead of time. No, that's why I'm saying that if they buy it in bulk, then they can distribute it to the schools so that they will have it and be cheaper than going to each school under 25,000.
But this is the case in favor of passing the bill. And that's why you're saying why we don't need it. Because we're not going to do toilet paper the same way. Thank you. Maybe now. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. No further questions. Let's move on to next. Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I have to let people testify on I I actually don't have you on the list, but please come forward. Thank you, chair. And if you don't have it, I'll be sure and get it back to you. Thank you. I'm Tim Lions with the Subcontractors Association. Um, and we oppose this bill, at least that portion of it that relates to construction. Obviously, we have no problem with goods and services, but you know, we think the the procurement code was written so that everybody runs by the same rules. Um, we don't like exemptions.
We think that starts the process um of doing that. So, it's really a question of fairness. There are also a large number of small contractors that deal just in small contracts. And the reason they do that is because there's not a lot of complexity to staging the job. Um, their bonding requirements are a lot lower, their employee commitment is a lot lower. um and their payment oftentimes is a lot quicker because it is a smaller job. So um we would object to um taking those jobs out of the procurement code because some of our guys actually live on those. Thank you. Members questions. Thank you, Jim. Anyone else here to testify on this bill? If not, thank you. Moving on. Senate Bill 943 relating to school-based health services appropriates funds to the Department of Education to fund school health support staff to sustain the Hawaii Kiki Healthy and Ready to Learn program.
to testify. Superintendent Hayasha, please. Go ahead. Good afternoon, Chair Kedani, Vice Chair Marcado Kim, and members of the committee. I'm Heidi Armstrong, Department of Education. The department stands on its written testimony in support of this measure. And I would also like to add one additional comment. Um that the positions funded through this measure would not re would complement the existing school health assistance and not replace them. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. Thank you. Next to testify, Osatouille Junior, President HSTA. Aloha chairs and members, Leverne Moore, speaking on behalf of Osachi Jr., President of the Hawaii State Teachers Association. We stand on our written testimony. Thank you. In support. In support. Thank you, L. Next to testify, Yuko Aricawa Cross, director, Executive Office on Early Learning. Good afternoon, chair, vice chair, and members of the committee. I'm Jordina Ferrer, representing um EO on behalf of Yuko.
Uh we stand on our written testimony in support of the measure and defer to the Department of Education. Thank you, Jina. Next to testify, Fementina Seria Ole, interim dean, University of Hawaii School of Nursing. Good afternoon, Chair Kedani, Vice Chair Kim, and members of the committee. My name is Clementina Serv. I'm the interim dean for the uh Atmana Nancy at Maspara Walt School of Nursing or Nawson. So, um, thank you for the opportunity to present this testimony in strong support with proposed amendments for this measure for this measure, Senate Bill 493. And I would like to add that uh we are in full agreement that we should not duplicate services and commit to working together to ensure that schools have the health service coverage that they want and need. In addition, as the school health program initiative has grown, we have enjoyed partnering with federally qualified health centers or a FQC's who are entering into the school health service delivery environment.
We actively support the DOE in ensuring that the Hawaii KQ services are planned around not over DOE contracted school-based clinics provided by the FQC's. The most important thing that we do not that we do in our program is facilitate the connections for care. By working with community partners over the years, which has tremendously grown, we have impacted students, schools, families, and communities. The real potential lies with our ability to collaborate, reconnect students to pri primary care providers and link students and families to appropriate community resources that are culturally accepted and easily accessible such as the FQHC's. Thank you. On Zoom, we have Laura Reichart for Hawaii State Center for Nursing. She's here in person. Popped out of the TV. Please come forward. Thank you. Um, I think we have a late testimony on Zoom. Jaylen Tashima, senior at Campbell High School. Is Jaylen there? Are you sure?
Not present on the Zoom. I'm sorry, did not hear you. Not present on Zoom. Thank you. We have uh three others written testimony in support with comments. Members questions questions please. So with this bill, will the school health assistants no longer be needed? No, they they will they will absolutely be be needed. And this position is meant to complement the the work and um the load of the school health assistants, but the school health assistant is still the permanent school position. We're requesting funding for these additional positions for the next two years and we'll be looking at um redescribing or um a a position description for them. They were initially brought on to support the schools during COVID with COVID reporting um COVID um close contact identification and we'd like to continue their support though their efforts have morphed from that type of work but to helping the Shaws in the health room helping students with visits making referrals to the Hawaii kei program.
Um, what these positions cannot do that the Shaws can do is administer medication. So, how many public schools is HPCA now serving? I'm sorry. How many public schools are they serving now? I think we have 170 of these positions. And how many public schools will the Hawaii Kiki Healthy and Ready to Learn program serve? Oh, I'm sorry. I misunderstood what you We have 170 of the um Hawaii Kei um support positions. Okay. So, what about the HPCA? Yeah. Good afternoon, chair, vice chair, and committee members. My name is Jennifer. I'm the school health section administrator. So, I oversee those partnerships with the FQHC's. HPCA is the umbrella organization. They don't actually provide direct services, but we do have cooperative agreements with four of the community health centers, and they provide services in eight of our schools. Are these high schools or intermediate schools? It's a combination of um elementary, middle, and high schools.
It really depends on the the resources that the community health center has available and the needs of the school. So, are there overlapping services that both of these um organizations are providing or are they working together? Right. The the goal is really to to meet the health needs of all of our students. The um we want to continue to strengthen our partnerships with community health centers. They service our most vulnerable populations, but they do not have the capacity to provide services in all 258 of our schools. So, we've been really fortunate through the support of the legislature to have the Hawaii Kiki program to expand access to health care in our schools. What happens in the case when there's disagreement between the two groups? Um, that hasn't happened, but um we do have as a process for example for students who receive um nursing services under their IEP or 504 plan.
Um to have a student team to convene to discuss any kind of um I guess disagreements on the kinds of services that are required for that child. Okay. So there is a process in place. Correct. Thank you. Members questions. Senator Fabella. What what is the difference between the qualifications of the isn't the um right now is it that health aid or CNA qualification? What is the qualifications on the two? What is the difference? Thank you for asking that question. Senator Favlla at the school the school health assistant must have a GED high school equivalency uh and current certification in CPR or first aid. However, the school health support staff through the Hawaii Kiki program must also be certified as a medical assistant, a certified nurse aid or a community health worker. So, they have more specialized educational backgrounds in order to provide a greater range of health services.
So with that being in mind, are they going to be part of the um because isn't the uh health aid or whatever now is isn't they qualified under a union? Um that's correct that the school health assistants are members of the HGA union. So how is they going to work closely together? Is the other one going to be join the union to be part of a union? I'm not sure um if the school health support staff are eligible to participate in a union. Um they're not technically state employees, but the um school health assistants work very closely with the school health support staff. And so, especially during COVID, they were overwhelmed with the amount of work to respond and prevent the impact. And um and now we see a continued desire for uh the more specialized health services. For example, a school health support staff can utilize teleaalth in order to bring in an APRN for health consultation for a student with more advanced needs.
Are you thinking um the working relationship that they have now is going to continue? I think that um yes, the working relationship that they have now will continue. And I think that what's been really great about the Hoy Kiki program is how responsive they have been to the changing needs of our schools. Yeah. Thank you, Chair. Thank you. So, um, is anyone here from HPCA? No, please stay. Okay. Okay. So, in their test, go ahead. Thank you. Um, not sure who to direct this question. Um, interesting conversation. Uh, but our rural schools, how does this apply there? And we're talking about hiring healthcare workers like they're readily available. And I know that that's not the case. So, um, it's also my understanding that the mental health needs are much higher now coming out of CO, but just because we put it on paper and fund it doesn't mean that we're going to be able to hire these people.
So, what is the opinion or thoughts of that? Because I'm skeptical you're not going to find them. Well, thank you for those questions. We're hoping to sustain existing personnel. We're not hiring any additional. And so, these are already 170 individuals working in support of our schools. And um to address the remote or rural schools, they've been especially beneficial. Like I said, they can actually connect to more specialized health care. Um, for example, we've been working with the Hawaii Kiki program to try to have a nurse on Mikai now for several years unsuccessfully, but they have been able to to develop a support staff position there who can then consult with the APRN on Maui. Um, did I cover your your questions? I think so. If um if you have that, I'd like to see a list of those 170 where they are and what schools they actually attend to.
We can do that and I can follow up with you. I'll let you know that um the to repeat the question. Oh, sorry. I don't know where that came from. I just wanted to let you know that we can provide you the location where they're based, but actually the schoolhouse support staff are able to service more than one school in their region. And so that's been also really helpful in order to be flexible for our school health needs. And and to that point, um you're based in one region. What schools in that region are they servicing? We are organized at the complex level for our our nursing support. And so and then there's a complex area lead. And so the complex area lead would facilitate the coordination and distribution of staff as needed. you might want to um ask more of those questions for the Hawaii Kiki program.
They manage their personnel in response to our needs. Okay. Um and I think we will, but I want to see where these people are actually going, not just the region where they could be going, where they Yeah. Yeah. I can provide you that list. Thank you. Thank you, Chair. We'll send you the list. Chair Kani. Okay. I I just wanted to ask one question. According to the testimony from HPCA, and I'm sorry that no one is here to ask their own questions, but um their concern is that this measure may unintentionally and inadvertently conflict with efforts to establish schoolbased health clinics at certain public schools. Can you respond to that? Yeah, we we are not um wanting to um stop the expansion of our federally qualified health centers. They provide great services in in um our most needy areas. And so our um our our work ahead is promoting the expansion of federally qualified health centers, but we know we won't have them, serving every school in every area.