THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

63

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

  

STATE OF HAWAII

  
   

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO CONVENE A STATE PANEL TO DEVELOP A STANDARD PAYMENT RATE FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PROVIDED TO CHILDREN UNDER STATE CONTRACTS.

 

WHEREAS, in 1991, the Office of the Surgeon General of the United States issued a report entitled National Action Agenda on Children's Mental Health, concluding that the nation is facing a public crisis in mental health of children and adolescents; and

WHEREAS, this same report found that in the United States, one in ten children and adolescents suffer from mental illness severe enough to cause some level of impairment, yet fewer than one in five children are receiving treatment for their condition; and

WHEREAS, within Hawaii, addressing children's mental health problems is complicated due to the fragmentation of children's programs amongst various state agencies, and a shortage of available providers of mental health services to children; and

WHEREAS, this shortage of mental health professionals has created the opportunity for providers to set rates based upon a market-driven demand for services; and

WHEREAS, these various state agencies with responsibility for contracting with providers for mental health services to children have limited budgets; and

WHEREAS, due to the Felix Consent Decree, the Department of Education has received additional appropriations in support of school-based services and has negotiated provider rates significantly higher than other state agencies; and

WHEREAS, the discrepancies in provider rates between state agency contracts has resulted in lack of available services for children needing mental health services, due either to lack of available providers or lack of sufficient funds to support demand for services; and

WHEREAS, agencies of the State should not be engaged in competitive practices that result in discrimination between classes of children; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-First Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2002, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Governor is requested to convene a state panel to develop a standard payment rate for mental health services provided to children under state contracts; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Panel shall include, but not be limited to, representatives of the various state agencies that procure mental health services for children and representatives of mental health service providers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Panel, in determining a standard payment rate, must balance the needs of all children with a fair compensation rate for providers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor shall submit a report of findings and recommendations to the Legislature not later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2003 regular session; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Director of Health, the Director of Human Services, the Superintendent of Education, the State Procurement Administrator, the Hawaii Psychiatric Association, the Hawaii Psychological Association, and the Hawaii Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.

 

 
 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Standard payment rate for mental health services to children.