STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3770

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1830

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1830, H.D. 2, 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 establish a framework for granting provisional or associate-level licensure for marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors, and psychologists.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Board of Psychology; Department of Health; Disability and Communication Access Board; Office of Wellness and Resilience; State Council on Mental Health; AlohaCare; Brighter Bound; Center for Healing & Transformation; Hawaii Association for Marriage and Family Therapists; Hawaii Counselors Association; Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition; National Association of Social Workers - Hawaii Chapter; Parents And Children Together; Pau Hana Counseling, LLC; The Hawaii Psychological Association; The Hawaiian Islands Association for Marriage and Family Therapy; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

Your Committee finds that granting provisional, associate‑level marriage and family therapist, mental health counselor, and psychologist licenses will help to satisfy the critical need for high-quality mental health practitioners in the State.

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 H.B. No. 1830, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair