HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	256
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

requesting the auditor to assess the social and financial effects of requiring health insurers to COVER marriage and family therapists' SERVICES WITHIN MENTAL HEALTH AND ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS.

WHEREAS, marriage and family therapists assist individuals and families with emotional, behavioral, and relationship problems; and

WHEREAS, therapists help people with childhood and adolescent problems, marriages in crisis, families needing assistance with senior parents, and provide assistance in the areas of domestic violence, physical and sexual abuse, and substance abuse; and

WHEREAS, marriage and family therapists work in private practice, hospitals, schools, colleges, court systems, community mental health centers, health maintenance organizations, and employee assistance programs; and

WHEREAS, the National Institute of Mental Health has recognized the field of marriage and family therapy as one of the five core mental health disciplines along with psychiatry, psychology, clinical social work, and psychiatric nursing; and

WHEREAS, chapter 451J, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), defines marriage and family therapy practice as "the application of psychotherapeutic and family systems theories and techniques to diagnose and treat mental, emotional, and nervous disorders within the context of an individual's relationships"; and

WHEREAS, H.B. No.    , introduced in 2007, mandates coverage of marriage and family therapist services under the mental health and alcohol and drug abuse treatment benefits required by chapter 431M, Hawaii Revised Statutes, in individual or group hospital or medical service plan contracts, and nonprofit mutial benefit society and health maintenance organization plans and contracts; and

WHEREAS, section 23-51, HRS, requires that:

[b]efore any legislative measure that mandates health insurance coverage for specific health services, specific diseases, or certain providers of health care services as part of individual or group health insurance policies, can be considered, there shall be concurrent resolutions passed requesting the auditor to prepare and submit to the legislature a report that assesses both the social and financial effects of the proposed mandated coverage;

now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, the Senate concurring, that the Auditor is requested to report on the social and financial impacts of mandating coverage for the services of marriage and family therapists as provided in H.B. No.    (2007); and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor is requested to submit findings and recommendations to the Legislature at least 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2008; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Auditor.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Mandated Coverage; Marriage and Family Therapists