REPORT TITLE:
Adult Mental Health, Appro.


DESCRIPTION:
Makes an emergency $14,039,984 appropriation to improve services
for current and former patients of the Hawaii State Hospital.
Provides that $250,000 of the appropriation be spent on external
evaluations of specified health programs.  (SD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        2537
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           S.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION FOR THE ADULT MENTAL HEALTH
   DIVISION.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  This Act is recommended by the governor for
 
 2 immediate passage in accordance with section 9 of article VII of
 
 3 the Constitution of the State of Hawaii.
 
 4      SECTION 2.  Although funds were appropriated to the
 
 5 department of health for the adult mental health division for the
 
 6 fiscal period beginning July 1, 1999 and ending June 30, 2000, a
 
 7 critical funding emergency now exists.  The program will expend
 
 8 all appropriated funds before the end of the current fiscal year,
 
 9 and the department will be unable to meet its fiscal obligation
 
10 to provide services to certain adults with serious mental
 
11 illness.  The primary reason for this financial situation is the
 
12 need to implement additional services and activities to reach
 
13 compliance with the requirements of the settlement agreement and
 
14 subsequent orders in United States v. State of Hawaii, Civil
 
15 Number 91-00137 (DAE).
 
16      The purpose of this Act is to appropriate or authorize
 
17 moneys to prevent the reduction or discontinuance of services to
 
18 patients at Hawaii State Hospital and to develop and provide
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           S.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 necessary community-based services for discharged patients of the
 
 2 Hawaii State Hospital.
 
 3      SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 4 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $14,039,984, or so
 
 5 much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000, to be
 
 6 used for services and activities to improve services to patients
 
 7 and former patients of Hawaii State Hospital, and persons
 
 8 committed to the custody of the director of health in penal and
 
 9 civil commitment processes.
 
10      SECTION 4.  The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
 
11 department of health for the purposes of this Act.
 
12      SECTION 5.  From this amount, $250,000 shall be set aside
 
13 for process and outcome evaluations of new initiatives or
 
14 programs in HTH 420 and HTH 430 to be conducted by any agency or
 
15 agencies external to the department of health.  The evaluations
 
16 shall be submitted to the 2001 regular session of the legislature
 
17 at least twenty days prior to its convening.  The auditor shall
 
18 assist the legislature in assessing the evaluation reports as
 
19 well as in overseeing the effectiveness and efficiency for the
 
20 adult mental health programs.  The auditor may request progress
 
21 reports from the department of health from time to time.
 
22      SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.