STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1005-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1830

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1830, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish provisional or associate-level licensure requirements and insurance reimbursement allowances for marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors, and psychologists in training;

(2) Require psychologist license applicants to possess a doctoral degree and complete certain supervised experience requirements before sitting for the licensing examination; and

(3) Authorize insurance reimbursements for services provided by a supervised social work intern, in certain circumstances.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Disability and Communication Access Board; State Council on Mental Health; Office of Wellness and Resilience; Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition; Hawaii Disability Rights Center; Mental Health America of Hawaiʻi; Parents and Children Together; Hawaiʻi Counselors Association; AlohaCare; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Board of Psychology; Hawaiian Islands Association for Marriage and Family Therapy; Hawaiʻi Psychological Association; National Association of Social Workers - Hawaiʻi; Hawaii Medical Service Association; and Keep It Kailua.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the number of positions established to an unspecified number; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1830, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1830, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair