STAND. COM. REP. NO. 222-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 2734

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health & Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2734 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PRESCRIPTIVE AUTHORITY FOR CERTAIN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Board of Psychology to grant prescriptive authority to clinical psychologists who meet specific education, training, and registration requirements.

Mental Health America of Hawaii, Pacific Behavioral Health, Hawaii Psychological Association, Alaka‘i Na Keiki, Inc., I Ola Lahui, and several concerned individuals submitted testimony in support. The American Psychiatric Association, Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, and numerous individuals submitted testimony in opposition. The Board of Psychology and Department of Health provided comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and replacing it with a prescriptive authority study group to explore options and make recommendations to the Legislature relating to granting certain clinical psychologists prescriptive authority privileges. The effective date of the measure was amended to July 1, 3000.

Your Committee notes that it received testimony from psychologists who support this measure because they believe it will better enable them to help homeless individuals receive necessary services. Your Committee believes that Hawaii's psychologists should be granted prescriptive authority privileges in order to better help Hawaii's homeless individuals. Your Committee further notes that Hawaii has the highest per capita homeless population of any state in the country

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health & Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2734, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2734, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health & Human Services,

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair