STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2695
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.B. No. 2297
S.D. 1
Honorable Robert Bunda
President of the Senate
Twenty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2006
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2297 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to clarify that professional mental health counseling services shall be based on specialized education, training, and experience.
Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Kaiser Permanente, Hawaii Rehabilitation Counseling Association, Sestak Rehabilitation Services, the Alliance for Professional Counselor Licensure, and three individuals.
Your Committee finds that this measure will:
(1) Clarify that a mental health counselor can render professional counseling services;
(2) Clarify that the provisions of this measure do not supersede the regulation of "registered rehabilitation specialists" by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations;
(3) Clarify that the intern and post-graduate practicum experience must be in mental health counseling; and
(4) Specify that the post-graduate experience must be completed in not less than two years nor more than four years.
Your Committee has made technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of correct drafting style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2297, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2297, S.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing,
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____________________________ RON MENOR, Chair |
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