Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 39 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to assess the social and financial effects of requiring health insurers to offer coverage for cognitive rehabilitation.

Your Committees received testimony in support of the amendments to this measure from the Vice Chair of the Hawaii County Council; the Executive Director, one member of the Board of Directors, and the Hawaii County Advisory Committee of Samaritan Counseling Center of Hawaii; the Executive Director of the Bobby Benson Center, Hale Ipu Kukui Alaka'i, Inspired Transformational Services, Compassionate Counseling, the Maui Chapter Steering Committee of the Hawaii Association for Marriage and Family Therapy; the Chief Executive Director and Clinical Director from Aloha House Maui; Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center, Ka Lima O Maui, Chaminade University, and eighteen individuals. Hawaii Medical Service Association submitted testimony in opposition.

There are not enough professional mental health clinicians to meet the needs of Hawaii residents. As many of the proponents noted, marriage and family therapists are highly trained mental health professionals who treat a wide range of serious clinical problems, including various forms of mental illness, alcohol dependence, and substance abuse issues. Your Committees find that the inclusion of marriage and family therapy among the mental illness and alcohol and drug dependence benefits will provide greater access to mental health services and additional treatment options to the presently under-served families of Hawaii.

This measure satisfies the statutory prerequisite that the Auditor prepare and submit a report to the Legislature assessing the social and financial effects of proposed mandated coverage before any such mandated coverage can be considered by the Legislature.

Your Committees have amended this measure by deleting all references to coverage for cognitive rehabilitation and instead requesting the Auditor to assess the social and financial effects of requiring health insurers to offer coverage for marriage and family therapy as proposed in S.B. No. 1228, S.D. 2.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 39, as amended herein, recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 39, S.D. 1.