STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1219

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.C.R. No. 60
                                        




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 S.C.R. No. 60 entitled:

     "SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO
     ASSESS THE SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF EXPANDING THE
     DEFINITION OF CERTIFIED SUBSTANCE ABUSE STAFF TO INCLUDE
     PSYCHOLOGISTS CERTIFIED BY THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL
     ASSOCIATION COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGY IN THE
     TREATMENT OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCE USE
     DISORDERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Auditor to
assess the social and financial effects of expanding the
definition of certified substance abuse staff to include
psychologists certified by the American Psychological Association
College of Professional Psychology in the treatment of alcohol
and other psychoactive substance use disorders.

     Your Committee received testimony in support to this measure
from the Hawaii Psychological Association.

     Under current law, a state licensed psychologist must be
certified as a substance abuse counselor by the Department of
Health to qualify for payments under medical and health
insurance.  The requirements of certification from the Department
of Health are equivalent to the certification requirements of the
American Psychological Association College of Professional
Psychology.

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1219
                                   Page 2


     The Auditor must assess both the social and financial
effects of proposed mandated coverage for specific health
services, specific diseases, or certain providers of health care
services as part of individual or group health insurance
policies, before any legislation can be enacted to require health
insurance coverage.

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose of
S.C.R. No. 60, and recommends that it be referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
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