STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2519

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 263

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 263 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE COUNCIL ON MENTAL HEALTH,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the State Council on Mental Health to include an unspecified number of members with demonstrated knowledge of or work experience involving Native Hawaiian health practices; and

(2) Require council members to receive annual training on topics related to Native Hawaiian healing and health.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the State Council on Mental Health, The Queen's Health System, and three individuals.

Your Committees find that Native Hawaiians experience distinct mental health disparities that pervade their day-to-day well-being and hinder their overall health. Native Hawaiian youth and emerging adults experience mental health crises to a greater degree than their Caucasian peers. Unsurprisingly, the mental health disparities that Native Hawaiians experience continue into old age. Your Committees also find that Native Hawaiians tend to underutilize existing mental health services and that this may be consequent to cultural incongruence with Western mental health practices. This measure prioritizes the mental health of Native Hawaiians and will provide Native Hawaiians with mental health care that is congruent to their values and beliefs.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have required an unspecified number of members to meet certain work and experience requirements involving traditional Native Hawaiian concepts to be appointed to the State Mental Health Council;

(2) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 263, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 263, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Health and Human Services,

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair

________________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair