STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3496

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 149

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 S.C.R. No. 149 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO ESTABLISH AN INFORMAL WORKING GROUP TO ASSESS THE SERVICES AND FUNDING NECESSARY TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF COMPLEX PATIENTS WHO HAVE AT LEAST TWO OR MORE DIAGNOSES THAT INCLUDE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS, OR CHRONIC PHYSICAL ILLNESSES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Health to assess the services and funding necessary to address the needs of complex patients who have two or more diagnoses that include substance use disorders, mental health disorders, or chronic physical illnesses.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Hina Mauka, and Aloha Independent Living Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that complex patients, those who have co-occurring substance use disorders, mental health disorders, or chronic physical conditions, face a multitude of socioeconomic, cultural, organizational, systemic, and policy-related barriers to accessing and utilizing substance use disorder treatment and mental health services. Your Committee further finds that approximately fifty-four thousand adults in the State have chronic conditions of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, often coupled with multiple chronic physical illnesses, which, if left untreated, may become severe. This measure convenes various state agencies and stakeholders to improve and coordinate efforts to end the fragmentation of care services by developing integrated approaches to treat substance abuse disorders, mental health disorders, and chronic illnesses.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 149, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 149, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair