STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2606

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3075

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 3075 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the board of psychology to establish a pilot program to grant prescriptive authority to qualified psychologist applicants in counties with a population of less than one hundred thousand persons, to repeal on August 31, 2025.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Psychologist Association, Office of the Mayor of the County of Kaua‘i, Hawaii County Council, American Psychological Association, and six individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Medical Association, Hawai‘i Psychiatric Medical Association, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Psychology and the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii continues to experience a significant shortage of doctors throughout the State and especially on neighbor islands. Included in this shortage is a substantial deficiency of the number of psychiatrists practicing on the neighbor islands. With a lack of access to appropriate mental health treatment, the consequences are devastating and far too often end in suicide. Psychologists with additional post‑doctoral training in psychopharmacology are skilled in both the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions and the use of psychotropic medications and can provide urgently needed psychological interventions and psychopharmacological treatment services to the underserved populations of Hawaii. This measure would help those communities by establishing a pilot program to grant prescriptive authority to advanced trained medical psychologist applicants in counties with a population of one hundred thousand persons or less.

Your Committee further expressly notes its disappointment that the psychiatry field's opposition to this measure is without merit and rather is rooted in the self-interest of protecting one's title without stepping up to take action to help those in need on neighbor islands. This measure creates an opportunity to provide greater access to mental health services in areas experiencing critical shortages by utilizing the panoply of providers skilled in this area of health care.

Your Committee further notes that it received comments during the public hearing on this measure indicating that the State's rural communities may benefit from this pilot program. Your Committee finds this merits further consideration and requests that your Committee on Judiciary examine expanding the application of this pilot program to include counties with a population of five hundred thousand or less.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that an applicant shall have clinical experience that includes a minimum of eight hundred hours completed in a clinical prescribing practicum, including geriatric, pediatric, and pregnant patients, completed in no less than twelve months and no more than fifty-six months, consisting of certain specifications; and

(2) Making conforming technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3075, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3075, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair