STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1373

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   S.B. No. 384

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 384, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PRESCRIPTIVE AUTHORITY FOR CERTAIN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expand access for Hawaii residents to the full range of mental health treatments and services by authorizing qualified clinical psychologists who meet specified education and training requirements to prescribe psychotropic medications from a limited formulary and under a collaborative agreement with each patient's treating primary care provider or psychiatrist.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Psychological Association, Hawaii Medical Service Association, The CHOW Project, Mental Health America of Hawaii, Hawaii Catholic Conference, and numerous individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the American Psychiatric Association, Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, Hawaii Medical Association, and several individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Board of Psychology.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the clinical experience requirement for eligibility as a prescribing psychologist shall include rotation through specified practice areas and supervised experience with specified types of patients;

     (2)  Clarifying that the examination requirement may be satisfied by passage of a nationally-recognized psychopharmacology examination developed by an authority other than the American Psychological Association's Practice Organization's College of Professional Psychology;

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2070, to promote further discussion; and

     (4)  Making technical amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 384, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 384, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair