HB2807

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the COVID-19 pandemic challenged the social, emotional, and mental well-being of youth globally. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Adolescent School Health, the national 2021 youth risk behavior survey revealed that twenty‑two per cent of high school students seriously considered attempting suicide during the previous year, and eighteen per cent of high school students made a suicide plan during the previous year. Based on February 2021 data, the National Alliance on Mental Illness Hawaii reported that one in six American youth aged six through seventeen experienced a mental health disorder each year, with ten thousand youth in Hawaii aged twelve through seventeen experiencing depression. Of these youth in Hawaii, 68.9% who have depression did not receive any care in the previous year.

To address these serious gaps in services, care, and treatment for youth, the department of health launched the pediatric mental health care access project in September 2021. The goals of the project were to promote behavioral health integration into pediatric primary care; develop the pediatric mental health care model to increase overall access; and provide tele-consultation, training, technical assistance, and care coordination for pediatric primary care providers to diagnose, treat, and refer children with behavioral health conditions.

As the department of health continues to strengthen and encourage the integration of mental health into pediatric primary care, the legislature finds that there is a confusing array of services across the State that are difficult to navigate for those seeking mental health services for children and adolescents. These programs span federal, state, private, nonprofit, clinical, and community-based entities, covering categories including crisis hotlines, direct mental health services and mental healthcare providers, existing mental health and community health facilities, school-based resources, and after-school programs.

Given this array of services and programs, the legislature further finds that there is a need to work with government, community, and healthcare industry partners to comprehensively map out these services and programs to optimize the utilization of mental health resources and ensure a holistic and well‑coordinated approach to connect and refer children, adolescents, and their families when in need of mental health services.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to:

(1) Convene a working group of government, community, and healthcare industry stakeholders to guide the process of comprehensively and systematically mapping the array of child and adolescent mental health services and programs available statewide; and

(2) Appropriate moneys to conduct the mapping process.

SECTION 2. (a) There is established a child and adolescent mental health services working group, to be placed within the department of health for administrative purposes, to guide the process of comprehensively and systematically mapping the array of child and adolescent mental health services and programs available statewide.

(b) The working group shall consist of the following members or their designees:

(1) The chief of the family health services division of the department of health, who shall serve as chair of the working group;

(2) The administrator of the child and mental health division of the department of health;

(3) The med-QUEST administrator;

(4) The superintendent of education;

(5) The chair of the senate standing committee on health and human services;

(6) The chair of the house standing committee on health and homelessness; and

(7) The chair of the house standing committee on human services.

(c) The chair of the working group shall invite a representative from each of the following organizations to serve as members of the working group:

(1) The Hawaii Association of Health Plans;

(2) The Healthcare Association of Hawaii;

(3) The Hawaii Primary Care Association;

(4) Papa Ola Lokahi; and

(5) The Hawaii Community Foundation.

The chair of the working group may invite additional individuals whom the chair deems relevant to the purposes of the working group.

(d) Members of the working group shall serve without compensation and may conduct meetings remotely to carry out the purposes of the working group.

(e) The working group shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2025, and shall also submit an update to its 2025 report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026.

(f) The working group shall cease to exist on June 30, 2026.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 to comprehensively and systematically map the array of children and adolescent mental health programs and services statewide.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. In accordance with section 9 of article VII, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii and sections 37-91 and 37-93, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the legislature has determined that the appropriation contained in this Act will cause the state general fund expenditure ceiling for fiscal year 2024-2025 to be exceeded by $ , or per cent. The reasons for exceeding the general fund expenditure ceiling are that the appropriation made in this Act is necessary to serve the public interest and to meet the need provided for by this Act.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2807
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII