CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 17-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2016

RE:    S.B. No. 2560

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2560, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require the Department of Health to provide treatment and care for homeless individuals with serious and persistent mental health challenges to enable them to reside in a permanent dwelling unit or homeless facility and appropriate funds to provide such treatment and care;

     (2)  Authorize the Director of Health to contract with any person for outreach services, with priority given to outreach services for homeless individuals with serious and persistent mental health challenges; and

     (3)  Amend program elements of the community residential treatment system to include the provision of services for persons who are at risk of becoming homeless by reason of serious and persistent mental illness.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that the issue of homelessness is complex, as there are many reasons why individuals become homeless, such as issues related to housing, poverty, access to health care, and mental health.  A continuum of comprehensive services is needed to assist individuals with serious and persistent mental health issues in the State.  Reaching out to these individuals and providing them with effective mental health treatment and care will help break the cycle of homelessness for many individuals with serious and persistent mental health challenges.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting an appropriation amount of $500,000 to provide treatment and care for homeless individuals with serious and persistent mental health challenges to enable them to reside in a permanent dwelling unit or homeless facility; and

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2016.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2560, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2560, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI, Co-Chair	____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair
____________________________ DEE MORIKAWA, Co-Chair	____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Co-Chair
____________________________ SYLVIA LUKE, Co-Chair	____________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA, Co-Chair