STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2506

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 899

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 899 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE COMPOSITION OF THE STATE COUNCIL ON MENTAL HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require that at least three members of the State Council on Mental Health have demonstrated knowledge of or work experience involving Native Hawaiian concepts of well-being, culturally-grounded mental health methodologies, or traditional healing or health practices.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Council on Mental Health, Department of Health, Health Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, ‘Ahahui o na Kauka - Association of Native Hawaiian Physicians, Hawai‘i Psychological Association, Hawaiian Islands Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, National Association of Social Workers-Hawai‘i Chapter, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that Native Hawaiians experience distinct overall health disparities compared to other demographics. Youth suicide attempts and death rates in Hawaii are highest among Native Hawaiians and Native Hawaiian youth and emerging adults are 2.3 times more likely to die by suicide compared to their Caucasian contemporaries in Hawaii.

Your Committee further finds that while these mental health disparities begin early in life and have profoundly negative impacts on the community, Native Hawaiians tend to underutilize existing mental health services or only do so once the condition becomes severe. Your Committee finds that eliminating health disparities and achieving health equity across demographics is a matter of high priority. To achieve this goal, this measure requires at least three members of the State Council on Mental Health to be individuals having demonstrated knowledge of or work experience involving Native Hawaiian concepts of well-being, culturally-grounded mental health methodologies, or traditional healing or health practices.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have required at least three members of the State Council on Mental Health to have demonstrated knowledge of or work experience involving Native Hawaiian concepts of well-being, culturally-grounded mental health methodologies, or traditional healing or health practices;

(2) Inserting language to require all members of the State Council on Mental Health to receive annual training that includes topics such as cultural awareness and loss of ethnic identity, as well as other topics that address Native Hawaiian healing and health practices; and

(3) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 899, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 899, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Hawaiian Affairs,

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MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair