Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 117 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Health to convene a task force to evaluate and recommend possible statutory and public policy changes to decrease the census at Hawaii State Hospital and enhance community-based health services for forensic patients.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Disability Rights Center, the Hawaii Government Employees Association, the Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, ILWU Local 142, the National Association of Social Workers, Mental Health Kokua, and two individuals. The Legislative Reference Bureau submitted comments in response to this measure. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to the measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that a task force needs to be established to evaluate procedural, statutory, and policy changes that may be necessary to effectuate a decreased population at the Hawaii State Hospital and to improve the level of supervision, monitoring, or treatment necessary to ensure the safety of individuals with mental illness and the public.

Your Committee has amended this measure by expanding the evaluation conducted by the task force to include procedural changes, as well as statutory and public policy changes.

Your Committee has also amended this measure in response to the testimony submitted by the Department of Health by:

Your Committee has additionally amended this measure by specifying that the Department of Health, in conjunction with the Department of the Attorney General, is requested to provide the administrative and staff support necessary to fulfill the purpose and duties of the task force.

Your Committee has further amended this measure by redefining the issues the task force is requested to consider in its evaluation, and by including forensic specialists and a representative from the Prosecutor's office, the Public Safety Division, and other organizations as identified by the co-chairs, to serve on the task force or to participate on an ad hoc basis.

Last, your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, non-substantive amendments for the 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 S.C.R. No. 117, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 117, S.D. 1.