STAND. COM. REP. NO. 40

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 641

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 641 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make an appropriation from general revenues as a grant to the Kahi Mohala Behavioral Health Center for the establishment of an adult psychiatric crisis unit.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Kahi Mohala Behavioral Health, and Community Alliance for Mental Health.

     Your Committee finds that Kahi Mohala Behavioral Health is Hawaii's only free standing, community-based, nonprofit psychiatric hospital.  The creation of an adult psychiatric crisis unit and expansion of facilities at Kahi Mohala's Behavioral Health will help address limited capacity for people who are mentally ill, suffering from substance abuse, or are otherwise in need of care or treatment.

     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. 641 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,

____________________________

JOSH GREEN, Chair