STAND. COM. REP. NO. 733

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1494

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1494, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a working group to evaluate behavioral health care and to identify steps needed to promote the integration of services to more effectively respond to and coordinate care for individuals experiencing substance abuse, mental health conditions, and homelessness.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Insurance Division, Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Mental Health America of Hawaii, and Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that more than half of the adults with mental illness in the State do not receive treatment, due in part to various gaps in behavioral health care and related services. Your Committee further finds that the working group will require $50,000 in each year of the 2019-2021 fiscal biennium.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that the Director of Health shall invite the representatives from the entities operating a health care plan and from the Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition to participate on the working group;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(3) Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1494, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1494, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair