STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1471-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.C.R. No. 38
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, to which
was referred H.C.R. No. 38, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF
     COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO REVIEW AND EVALUATE THE
     LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to ensure that
the State's licensing requirements do not serve to unduly
restrict the population of licensed psychologists available to
serve community needs in the State.  This concurrent resolution
requests the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA)
to:

     (1)  Collaborate with the Department of Health (DOH),
          Department of Education (DOE), the University of
          Hawaii, and private providers of behavioral health
          services in the community;

     (2)  Assess community needs for the services of
          psychologists;

     (3)  Evaluate the State's licensing requirements with
          respect to those needs; and

     (4)  Report its findings and recommendations to the
          Legislature before the 2001 Regular Session.


 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1471-00
                                 Page 2

 
     Your Committee received testimony in support of this
concurrent resolution from DCCA, DOE, and Hale Na'au Pono.  DOH
supported the intent of this concurrent resolution.

     Your Committee heard testimony that a sizable pool of post-
doctoral level psychologists in Hawaii do not meet licensing
requirements under the existing administrative rules, and that
for this reason, DOH has had difficulty recruiting and
contracting licensed mental health service providers.  DOH
testified that the rules have also made it difficult for DOH to
enter into reciprocity agreements with other states allowing
reciprocal recognition of psychology licenses, because licensing
requirements of the other state must be equal to or greater than
those of this State.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce that is attached to
this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose
of H.C.R. No. 38, H.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Consumer
                                   Protection and Commerce,



                                   ______________________________
                                   RON MENOR, Chair