STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2019

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2349

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2349 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide funding for a statewide pilot program to treat chronic, substance-dependent adults.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Department of Public Safety, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Community Alliance for Mental Health, and three individuals.

     Your Committee finds that helping individuals with substance abuse dependencies receive the care they need will improve public health and reduce health care costs.  Your Committee further finds that substance abuse is a leading cause of preventable hospitalization and homelessness.  The provision of timely, intensive treatment for substance-dependent individuals will minimize the overutilization of expensive emergency and medical services, saving millions of dollars.

     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. 2349 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