THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

141

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REquesting the department of human services to convene a statewide task force to advise the legislature on methods to improve hawaii's mental health services.

 

 

     WHEREAS, the National Alliance on Mental Illness has published "A Report on America's Health Care System for Adults with Serious Mental Illness" which includes a State Report Card for each state; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii received the grade of "C" for the State's mental health care system; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii's State Report Card notes that, "Hawaii's mental health care system has improved substantially since . . . the 1980s and early 1990s, but the state is now at risk of sliding backward"; and

 

     WHEREAS, during times of economic crisis, mental health services are needed more urgently and yet budget cuts put the State's provision of mental health services at risk; and

 

     WHEREAS, many mental illnesses are treatable; and

 

     WHEREAS, many people with mental illness are hospitalized, live on the streets, are in jail, or die needlessly; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Legislature requests the Department of Human Services to convene a statewide Task Force of stakeholders to advise the Legislature on methods to improve Hawaii's mental health services; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force of stakeholders is requested to use "A Report on America's Health Care System for Adults with Serious Mental Illness" and Hawaii's State Report Card to glean methods to improve Hawaii's mental health services; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Human Services is requested to report the findings and recommendations of the Task Force to the Legislature not later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2010; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to Hawaii's congressional delegation, the Governor, the Director of Human Services, and the Mayors of the respective counties of the State of Hawaii.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

Task Force; DHS; National Alliance on Mental Illness Report