STAND. COM. REP. NO. 329-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2042

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 2042 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide funding for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division of the Department of Health to contract for the provision of youth mental health and wellness services.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Office of the Public Defender; Office of Wellness and Resilience; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Disability and Communication Access Board; Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; YMCA of Honolulu; Catholic Charities Hawai‘i; Mental Health America of Hawai‘i; Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition; Hawai‘i True Cost Coalition; Hawai‘i Youth Services Network; Opportunity Youth Action Hawai‘i; and four individuals.

Your Committee finds that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the health and mental wellness of the State's youth. Your Committee further finds that the best approach to youth mental wellness is community-based, which meets youth where they are. Your Committee believes that providing additional funding to allow the Department of Human Services to contract for the provision of community-based child and adolescent mental health services that promote resilience and wellness will provide the State's children and adolescents with the tools they need to take care of their mental health and well-being in the face of adversity.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 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 choose to deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation of $900,000.

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 H.B. No. 2042, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2042, 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