STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 398-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: H.B. No. 3131

H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 3131 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to establish a statewide youth suicide prevention program administered by the Department of Health.

Your Committees received testimony in support of the bill from the Hawaii Suicide Prevention Steering Committee, two parents and a grandparent who have lost a child to suicide, twenty-four concerned students from Kamehameha Schools, and a student who is in the master's degree in social work program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and who is an advocate for Responsive Advocacy for Life and Learning in Youth at Central Middle School. The Department of Education testified in support of the intent of the bill, and the Department of Health noted its appreciation of the intent of the bill.

Youth suicide is a growing problem that affects students at all levels, from elementary through high school. Your Committees understand that knowledge and tools are available to approach suicide as a preventable public health problem with realistic opportunities to save many lives. In this regard, a critical preventative measure is early identification and intervention. Further, the provision of appropriate links to research, training, and technical assistance is essential.

Your Committees have amended the bill by:

(1) Specifying that the Department of Health shall provide specialized training to Department of Education personnel who confront the challenges of early identification of students at risk of suicide or who have daily contact with students;

(2) Filling in the unspecified appropriation amount with an appropriation of $1 to facilitate further discussion of this important proposal; and

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

Your Committees find that the provisions in this bill are critical to the health, safety, and welfare of Hawaii's citizens and therefore request the Committee on Finance to explore the feasibility of establishing a special fund to support the proposed youth suicide prevention program.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 3131, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 3131, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services,

____________________________ ALEX M. SONSON, Chair		____________________________ DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair