STAND. COM. REP. NO. 732

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 885

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 885 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the development and implementation of statewide media, education, and training activities for policies related to emergency examination and hospitalization and assisted community treatment for those in need of mental health intervention.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that although the State has policies in place to initiate emergency examination and hospitalization and assisted community treatment for certain individuals in need of mental health intervention, these polices are not currently being fully implemented. Your Committee further finds that additional education and training may result in an increase in the successful implementation of these interventions and provide better health outcomes for individuals experiencing severe mental health crises.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the effective date to June 30, 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 deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $100,000.

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. 885, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 885, 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