STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3203

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2712

H.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 Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2712, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AUTISM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Appropriate funds to increase the funding for applied behavioral analysis services for persons with autism; and

(2) Require the Department of Human Services to obtain maximum federal matching funds and pursue all other funding sources.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services; Disability and Communication Access Board; BAYADA Behavioral Health; Mau Loa Learning; Hawaii Disability Rights Center; Behavior Analysis No Ka Oi, Inc.; Easterseals Hawaii; ABC Group Hawaii; Behavioral and Therapeutic Services of Hawaii; Council of Autism Service Providers; Special Education Advisory Council; Hawaiʻi Association for Behavior Analysis; Maui Learning Academy; Hawaii Early Intervention Coordinating Council; Early Learning Board; Horizons Academy of Maui; Hawaiʻi Psychological Association; and thirty-nine individuals.

Your Committee finds that applied behavioral analysis services are a clinically effective treatment for many children diagnosed with autism. However, rate increases for Med-QUEST have not increased since 2015 despite growing operating costs for businesses and difficulty with recruitment and retention of qualified staff. Without critical funding, certain operators maintain waitlists for patients, delaying timely access to care. Therefore, this measure will ensure the accessibility of applied behavioral analysis services to children diagnosed with autism while providing fair compensation for providers and their expertise.

Your Committee notes that although this measure contains an unspecified appropriation amount, the testimony of the Department of Human Services proposes three different scenarios as provided in a rate study commissioned by its Med-QUEST Division and submitted to the Legislature in December 2023. Based on the estimated managed care payment impacts using different wage assumptions:

(1) The low impact scenario would require a funding of $6,500,000, comprised of $2,690,000 state funds and $3,810,000 federal funds;

(2) The medium scenario would require a funding of $7,800,000, comprised of $3,230,000 state funds and $4,570,000 federal funds; and

(3) The high scenario would require a funding of $9,400,000, comprised of $3,900,000 state funds and $5,500,000 federal funds.

Accordingly, should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider an appropriate amount to be inserted.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2712, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair