STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3126

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1131

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1131, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AN INTENSIVE MOBILE TEAM PILOT PROGRAM FOR HOUSELESS INDIVIDUALS SUFFERING FROM SERIOUS BRAIN DISORDERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for a two-year Intensive Mobile Team Pilot Program in the Department of Health to provide intensive mobile treatment-type services to chronically houseless individuals suffering from serious brain disorders, including schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Health Planning and Development Agency, Aloha Independent Living Hawaii, and Hawaii Medical Association.

Your Committee finds that the State's houseless population has significant rates of serious mental health and substance use disorders and minimal to no access to any forms of health care. Your Committee further finds that through the concept of "street medicine", health care teams can provide direct medical, mental health, and social services to individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness in their own environment. This measure establishes a pilot program to provide immediate support to chronically houseless individuals, study the barriers and challenges of behavioral health care in this setting, and inform the development of best practices for the provision of care to this population.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Updating reporting and appropriation dates to reflect the current legislative session; and

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

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. 1131, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1131, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, 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