STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2078

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 3068

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 3068 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR THE ADULT MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to enable the continuation of existing adult mental health services to meet the needs of the expanding eligible population.

     Specifically, this measure provides an emergency appropriation in the amount of $10,000,000 in general funds to cover the ongoing costs of services provided by the adult mental health division, revenue shortfall, and operational costs at the Hawaii State Hospital.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, and the Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association.

     Your Committee finds that the adult mental health services division serves a continuously increasing population.  As a result, operational costs at the Hawaii State Hospital have also increased.  Further, the Medicaid Rehab Option retroactive billing opportunity has passed, resulting in a deficit of federal matching funds.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3068 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair