STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1015

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  H.B. No. 328
                                        H.D. 1
                                        S.D. 1



Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred H.B. No. 328, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to clarify which physicians
are included in the definition of "certified substance abuse
staff" for purposes of mental health and alcohol and drug abuse
treatment insurance benefits.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Department of Health (DOH), Insurance Commissioner,
Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, Hawaii Substance Abuse
Coalition, and Hawaii Medical Association.

     The current definition limits certification to physicians
who hold a current American Society of Addiction Medicine
certificate.  This measure expands the certification to those
physicians who are board certified in psychiatry with an
additional qualification in addiction psychiatry conferred by the
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

     Your Committee finds that expanding the certification is in
keeping with current professional practices and qualifications in
psychiatry as they relate to addiction treatment.  This measure
is intended to increase the number of qualified practitioners in
addiction treatment while maintaining professional quality.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1015
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     Your Committee has made a technical amendment on the
recommendation of the DOH by changing "additional qualification"
to "added qualifications".

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of H.B. No. 328, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that
it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B.
No. 328, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on
Commerce and Consumer Protection.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Health and Human
                                   Services,



                                   ______________________________
                                   SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
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