STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1642

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 685, 686, 687

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 685, 686, and 687, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of:

State Council on Mental Health

G.M. No. 685	CYNTHIA DANG, for a term to expire 6-30-2016;
G.M. No. 686	ALFRED ARESNDORF, for a term to expire 6-30-2017   (Nominee's name amended to ALFRED ARENSDORF by GM757); and
G.M. No. 687	FRANCES ELAINE LYONS, for a term to expire 6-30-2018,

begs leave to report as follows:

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by the nominees and finds Cynthia Dang, Alfred Arensdorf, and Frances Elaine Lyons to possess the requisite qualifications to be nominated to the State Council on Mental Health.

CYNTHIA DANG

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Cynthia Dang from the Department of Health.

     Ms. Dang is currently a mid-level manager for Lean Pathways, a business consulting firm.  She earned a Doctorate in Psychology from Argosy University and a Bachelor in Business Administration.  She also serves as the Chair of the Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Oahu Service Area Board.  Your Committee finds that Ms. Dang's extensive training in the public and private sectors on program development, workplace initiatives, and mental health and substance abuse will be great assets to the Council.

ALFRED ARENSDORF

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Alfred Arensdorf from the Department of Health and Department of Health, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division.

     Dr. Arensdorf is a retired child psychiatrist who continues to serve as a Clinical Professor in the John A. Burns School of Medicine's Department of Psychiatry, where he teaches in the residency programs on family and systems' interventions, prevention, and protective factors.  He earned a Doctor of Medicine from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Science from Loyola University of Los Angeles.  He also serves as a member of the Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Maui Service Area Board and has worked as the Medical Director at the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division of the Department of Health.  Your Committee finds that Dr. Arensdorf's past experiences in psychiatry, as well as his continuing commitment to developing mental health services for the community, will be great assets to the Council.

FRANCES ELAINE LYONS

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Frances Elaine Lyons from the Department of Health.

     Ms. Lyons is a Grant Writer for the East Hawaii Cultural Center in Hilo, researching funding sources for arts, cultural, and Hawaiian heritage grants.  She earned a Bachelor's degree in Management from Northeastern University.  She has also served as a member of the Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Hawaii Service Area Board since 2013.  Your Committee finds that Ms. Lyons' background in organization and administrative management, as well as her continuing commitment to advocate for vulnerable individuals who are homeless, will be great assets to the Council.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

JOSH GREEN, Chair