STAND. COM. REP. NO. 418

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1442

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 1442 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify and update the responsibilities of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division of the Department of Health to reflect the current mental health systems of care that address the mental health needs of children and adolescents in the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division of the Department of Health, Residential Youth Services & Empowerment, Hawaiʻi Youth Services Network, and three individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Disability Rights Center.

Your Committee finds that addressing mental health needs early in life is imperative for better health and well-being in adulthood and that adverse childhood experiences, or various forms of trauma during a child's development, are linked to a greater likelihood of lifelong risky behaviors that can lead to chronic diseases and poor mental health, including depression, anxiety, and suicidality. Your Committee further finds that the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division is the State's Medicaid provider of intensive mental health services for youth and became its own Division of the Department of Health decades ago as research emerged about the distinct and specialized nature of child and adolescent mental health services. Your Committee additionally finds that the existing statutes relating to mental health services for youth and children have not been updated for nearly fifty years. Accordingly, this measure makes statutory updates to reflect the current role of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division in addressing intensive mental health needs of children and adolescents in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1442, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1442, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

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

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JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair