STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1020

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1492

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1492, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide additional oversight and resources to help persons suffering from severe mental illness.

Specifically, the measure:

(1) Requires the Department of Health to track and publicly report certain data relating to crisis reports, emergency mental health transports, and court-ordered treatments;

(2) Requires the Department of Health to review reports of persons having severe mental illnesses who are in need of assistance; assess whether the person fulfills the criteria for assisted community treatment; and, if the person meets the criteria, initiate the process for an assisted community treatment order;

(3) Establishes that a court's denial of a petition for involuntary treatment shall serve as notification to the Department of Health that the person should be evaluated for assisted community treatment;

(4) Requires the Department of the Attorney General to assist with the preparation and filing of petitions for assisted community treatment and related court proceedings, unless the petitioner declines the assistance; and

(5) Appropriates moneys to the Department of Health for software, data collection, and publication.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Office of the Governor, Judiciary, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, and one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that the data, oversight, and assistance required by this measure will help support the efforts of state agencies, service providers, and community stakeholders to expand the State's continuum of care for persons in crisis.

Your Committee notes that the Department of Health estimated in written comments that an appropriation of $4,000,000 will be needed to implement the provisions of this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the amount of the appropriation from $100,000 to an unspecified sum to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(2) Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1492, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1492, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair