Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1993, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to improve the availability of mental health care services for patients statewide by establishing and appropriating funds for a one-year pilot telepsychiatry project at the University of Hawaii to serve certain locations around the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this bill from the Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association and a psychiatrist in private practice.

Your Committee believes that this bill represents a step forward in rectifying the lack of access to mental health services in certain areas of the State by demonstrating the efficiency of telepsychiatry as a means of providing those services.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1993, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.