STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1309

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 883

H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 883, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate an unspecified amount of funds to the Department of Health to operate mobile clinics staffed with medical professionals, including behavioral therapists trained in cognitive-behavioral and contingency management interventions, to provide medication-assisted treatment throughout the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health and Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition.

Your Committee finds that according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health for 2016-2018, there are over twenty-three thousand individuals in the State aged eighteen and older who need, but are not receiving, treatment for illicit drug use. Your Committee further finds that mobile clinics, with the flexibility to travel to various areas in the State, play a key role in serving individuals residing in areas that lack access to health care. This measure addresses the disparity in health care by enabling the Department of Health to provide health care, including treatment for mental health, to those individuals.

Your Committee notes that although this measure contains an unspecified appropriation amount, should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it considers appropriating $1,500,000 to fund the operation of the mobile clinics.

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 H.B. No. 883, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on 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