STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1520

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    GOV. MSG. NO. 509

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 509, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of: 

State Council on Mental Health

G.M. No. 509

JONATHAN T. HARRIS, for a term to expire 6-30-2011,

begs leave to report as follows:

     Upon review of the statement submitted by the nominee, your Committee finds that the aforementioned nominee will work with compassion and commitment to assist in administering the functions related to mental health for the people of Hawaii.  Your Committee further finds that the nominee has been appointed based on his credentials, integrity, and a desire to make Hawaii better through his participation on the State Council on Mental Health to which he has been nominated.

     Your Committee received testimony supporting the nomination of Jonathan T. Harris from the Department of Health and the Department of Human Services.

     Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Mr. Harris, a state agency representative, is being recommended by the Department of Human Services to serve as the federally-mandated Medicaid representative on the State Council on Mental Health.  For the past year, Mr. Harris has been employed by the State of Hawaii, MedQUEST Division, Health Care Services Branch as a registered nurse consultant.  Prior to this, Mr. Harris was employed by Kahi Mohala Behavioral Health Hospital.  From 1996 to 2006, he worked in the Department of Health's Office of Health Care Assurance, participating in the licensure and assuring the quality of care of the State's Adult Residential Care Homes.  Mr. Harris also served with the United States Naval Reserve from 1991-1999, completing his work with an Honorable Discharge.  He has also served as a volunteer for the Hawaiian Humane Society.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair