STAND. COM. REP. NO. 327-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2309

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Health & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 2309 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a Homeless Triage Center Program within the Statewide Office of Homelessness and Housing Solutions in the Department of Human Services that focuses on serving homeless individuals with substance abuse issues or mental illness.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness; Institute for Human Services, Inc.; Partners in Care; and two individuals.

Your Committees find that in 2022, Hawaii was ranked fourth in the nation for highest rates of homelessness. Your Committees further find that triage is recognized as an evidence-based practice to end the cycle of homelessness. However, the State has a serious lack of triage services for homeless persons and others who struggle with mental illness or substance abuse. Your Committees find that this measure helps expand clinical and community-based facilities for behavioral and mental health treatments, which will in turn save on health care costs and allow law enforcement officers and emergency room departments to focus resources on other priorities in the community.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the management of the Homeless Triage Center Program from the Statewide Office of Homelessness and Housing Solutions within the Department of Human Services to the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division within the Department of Health;

(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.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Health & Homelessness that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2309, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2309, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Health & Homelessness,

____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair

____________________________ LISA MARTEN, Chair