STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1178-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.R. No. 4
                                     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 Health, to which was referred H.R. No. 4
entitled: 

     "HOUSE RESOLUTION URGING THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROTOCOLS AND
     THE SPECIAL TRAINING OF PARAMEDICS IN THE TREATMENT OF
     DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PATIENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this resolution is to stop domestic violence
before more serious injuries occur by urging the Department of
Emergency Services of the City and County of Honolulu to develop
protocols and special training, as initial and continuing
educational programs, for paramedics in the treatment of domestic
violence patients.

     The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, the
Hawaii Catholic Conference, the Hawaii State Coalition Against
Domestic Violence, and the Domestic Violence Clearinghouse and
Legal Hotline testified in support of this measure.  The
Department of Health (DOH) testified in support of the intent of
this measure.

     Your Committee finds that the Emergency Medical Service
(EMS) pre-hospital medical care standards are developed by DOH's
EMS medical directors in consultation with emergency physicians
statewide.  This system of medical oversight ensures that there
is continuity in the development of statewide medical care
standards appropriate for emergency ambulance services and the
delivery of quality pre-hospital medical care.

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1178-00
                                 Page 2

 
     Your Committee has, therefore, amended this measure by:

     (1)  Urging the Department of Emergency Services of the City
          and County of Honolulu to develop protocols and special
          training, under the auspices of DOH, for paramedics in
          the treatment of domestic violence patients;

     (2)  Adding provisions explaining the need to develop
          protocols consistent with EMS pre-hospital medical
          care;

     (3)  Transmitting a copy of the resolution to the Director
          of Health; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for
          purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your
Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 4, as
amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the
Committee on Finance, in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 4,
H.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Health,



                                   ______________________________
                                   ALEXANDER C. SANTIAGO, Chair