STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1579

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 1594

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health & Homelessness, to which was referred S.B. No. 1594, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CRISIS INTERVENTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a Crisis Intervention and Diversion Program within the Department of Health to divert persons in crisis from the criminal justice system to the health care system; and

(2) Appropriate funds to support crisis intervention efforts.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; State Council on Mental Health; Disability and Communication Access Board; Honolulu Police Department; Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition; Hawaii Disability Rights Center; The Institute for Human Services, Inc.; and six individuals.

Your Committee finds that thousands of people in the State are arrested each year for offenses such as drinking liquor in public, loitering in public parks after hours, and camping in restricted areas such as on sidewalks or beaches. Your Committee further finds that many of these people suffer from issues relating to drugs, alcohol, or mental illness and would be better served by being diverted from the criminal justice system and into the health care system, where they can receive appropriate health care services. This measure is intended to address a gap in the State's continuum of care by expanding the State's existing crisis intervention and diversion programs to ensure individuals with mental illnesses receive appropriate care.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the intent and purpose of the measure is for the expansion of existing crisis intervention and diversion activities within the Department of Health and requiring the Department to collaborate with relevant parties to execute and implement these activities;

(2) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $11,407,200 for the expansion of existing crisis intervention and diversion activities and $150,000 for the certification of law enforcement officers in mental health first aid and the crisis intervention team model.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1594, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1594, 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 & Homelessness,

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair