STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1279-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2736

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness, to which was referred S.B. No. 2736, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CRISIS OUTREACH PROGRAMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to support a statewide crisis outreach program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Partners In Care, Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, Hawai‘i Psychological Association, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets) was developed by the city of Eugene, Oregon in 1989 to address crisis situations where a social service response is more appropriate than a law enforcement response and is a promising model for responding to crises involving mental illness, homelessness, and addiction. The CAHOOTS method uses a team comprised of a crisis intervention worker and a medic who is either a nurse or an emergency medical technician, and who are trained in de-escalation and crisis intervention methods. Your Committee further finds that an expansion of the Crisis Mobile Outreach program administered by the Adult Mental Health Division of the Department of Health to include medical personnel will increase diversions from emergency departments and reduce the necessity that a person in crisis be brought to an emergency department for medical care.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2736, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2736, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair