STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO.532-02

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.R. No. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.R. No. 1 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO JOINTLY DETERMINE WHETHER THE DIAGNOSIS OF CHILDREN WITH "ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER" OR "ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER" IN HAWAII HAS BEEN EXCESSIVE, WHETHER HAWAII'S CHILDREN ARE BEING SUBJECTED TO EXCESSIVE USE OF PSYCHIATRIC DRUGS TO MODIFY THEIR BEHAVIOR, AND TO RESEARCH, EXAMINE, AND RECOMMEND NON-DRUG ALTERNATIVES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this resolution is to request the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Education (DOE) to work together in:

(1) Determining whether the diagnosis of children with attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Hawaii has been excessive and whether children are being subjected to excessive use of psychiatric drugs for behavior modification;

(2) Researching and examining non-drug alternatives for children who have difficulty paying attention or learning, and display hyperactive behavior; and

(3) Submitting a report to the Legislature on their findings and recommendations.

Several individuals testified in support of this measure. The Christian Science Committee on Publication for Hawaii supported the intent of this measure. DOH, DOE, and the Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association opposed this measure.

Your Committee finds that there is growing concern that children are being diagnosed with ADD or ADHD without doing an in-depth analysis of the child's behavior. Testifiers claim that any child, regardless of whether they actually have ADD or ADHD, will display milder behavior after taking psychiatric drugs. Your Committee shares these concerns.

Your Committee further finds that DOH and DOE have already prepared a report to the Legislature, as requested by S.C.R. No. 92, S.D. 1, Regular Session of 2001, on matters relating to children. Your Committee believes further research needs to be done in the area of prescribing psychiatric drugs for children and the possible misdiagnosis of ADD and ADHD in children, and would like additional information to be provided as a supplement to the report done by DOH and DOE relating to children.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this resolution by:

(1) Recognizing the report submitted to the Legislature on matters relating to children;

(2) Changing the date that the report is to be submitted to the Legislature to the Regular Session of 2020, to promote further discussion; and

(3) 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. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Education in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 1, H.D. 1.

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

		____________________________ DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair