STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1342

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: GOV. MSG. NOS. 212, 214, 215, 216, 218, 219, 221

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 212, 214, 215, 216, 218, 219, and 221, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of:

State Council on Mental Health

G.M. No. 212

ALAN BUFFENSTEIN, M.D.,

For a term to expire 06-30-2008;

G.M. No. 214

LIESJE CATTANEO,

For a term to expire 06-30-2008;

G.M. No. 215

RITA GOROSPE,

For a term to expire 06-30-2006;

G.M. No. 216

RANDOLPH C. HACK,

For a term to expire 06-30-2008;

G.M. No. 218

CANDACE M. SANDAL,

For a term to expire 06-30-2008;

G.M. No. 219

PAULINE SCHICK,

For a term to expire 06-30-2007;

G.M. No. 221

SHARON P. YOKOTE,

For a term to expire 06-30-2008,

begs leave to report as follows:

Your Committee received testimony in support of ALAN BUFFENSTEIN, M.D., from the Department of Health, Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, Hawaii Medical Association, and three individuals. The nominee is a medical consultant for Med-QUEST for the Department of Human Services. He is also an Assistant Professor at the University of Hawaii School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry. He is board certified in psychiatry and has been a practicing psychiatrist in Hawaii since 1987. Dr. Buffenstein is a member of numerous professional medical associations and organizations. He is Director of Outpatient Ambulatory Services and Director of Counseling and Services at the Queens Hospital. He is a reappointment.

Your Committee received testimony in support of LIESJE CATTANEO from the Department of Health, Circuit Court of the First Judicial Circuit, and the First Judicial Circuit-Adult Client Services Branch. The nominee is a graduate of Mills College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and received her Master's degree in Social Work from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Ms. Cattaneo serves on both the development team and the Mental Health Court Advisory Committee. She is a program specialist with the Office of the Chief Court Administrator, First Judicial Circuit, and is currently assigned to work with the Adult Client Services Branch, whose primary purpose is to provide probation services to felony and misdemeanor offenders.

Your Committee received testimony in support of RITA GOROSPE from the Department of Health and three individuals. The nominee graduated with a Bachelor's degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Ms. Gorospe is a certified Realtor Associate, Travel Agent, and Medical Terminologist. She is an active board member on the Oahu Service Area Board for Adult Mental Health consumers, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Oahu, and the Mental and the Health Association of Hawaii. Ms. Gorospe has also served on the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness Council of the Hawaii Disability Rights Center and the State Council for Mental Health. Ms. Gorospe is the founder of the Mental Health Kokua Peer Coach Program and advocates for children with severe emotional disturbances and adults with mental illness.

Your Committee received testimony in support of RANDOLPH C. HACK from the Department of Health and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Oahu. The nominee received his Bachelor's degree in Geography from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He also received a certificate from Hawaii Pacific University in Weinberg Fellows Training Program for Executive Directors and Nonprofit Management. Mr. Hack is currently Director of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Oahu, Waikiki Health Center, and Mental Health Kokua and has received several awards for his outstanding community services. He has been an advocate for persons with mental illness for over twenty years. Mr. Hack is employed by the Department of Health in the Adult Mental Health Division, Office of Consumer Affairs, as Consumer Advisor.

Your Committee received testimony in support of CANDACE M. SANDAL from the Department of Health. The nominee was an active member of Friendship House, a psycho-social rehabilitation program offered by the Adult Mental Health Division. Mrs. Sandal was also a faculty member for the International Center for Clubhouse Development and an acting member on the Kauai Service Area Board.

Your Committee received testimony in support of PAULINE SCHICK from the Department of Health. The nominee received her Bachelor's degree in Social Work from the College of Notre Dame, California and her Master's degree in Social Work from California State University. For the past thirty-four years, Ms. Schick has been a psychiatric social worker, director for mental health programs in San Francisco, supervisor for all social services on Kauai, school social worker, and program manager for the School-Based Behavioral Health program. She is currently the administrator for the Department of Education's statewide program that provides behavioral and mental health services in every school to students who need such services to benefit from their education. Ms. Schick has also received several awards for her outstanding community services.

Your Committee received testimony in support of SHARON P. YOKOTE from the Department of Health. The nominee received her Associate's degree in Legal Assistance from Kapiolani Community College and her Bachelor's degree in Zoology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Ms. Yokote is currently serving on the Hawaii State Hospital Patient Protection Committee and has served on the Equal Insurance Coalition. She has an extensive history of consumer advocacy, including appointment to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Center for Mental Health Services National Advisory Council Subcommittee on Consumer/Survivor issues. Ms. Yokote has also worked with the State Council on Mental Health, Hawaii State Hospital Patient Protection Committee, and the Mental Health Association in Hawaii.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair