STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1910

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: GOV. MSG. NOS. 753, 754, 755, 756, 757, 758, 759, 760

 

 

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. 753, 754, 755, 756, 757, 758, 759, and 760, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of:

State Council on Mental Health

G.M. No. 753

GARY L. BLAICH, M.D.,

for a term to expire 06-30-2008;

G.M. No. 754

SUSAN A. COOPER,

for a term to expire 06-30-2009;

G.M. No. 755

LEIALOHA G.K. JENKINS,

for a term to expire 06-30-2007;

G.M. No. 756

ALVA O. KANEAIAKALA,

for a term to expire 06-30-2009;

G.M. No. 757

KU`ULEI A. KILIONA,

for a term to expire 06-30-2008;

G.M. No. 758

COLLEEN KU`ULANI MIYASHIRO,

for a term to expire 06-30-2007;

G.M. No. 759

PAULA T.T. MORELLI, Ph.D.,

for a term to expire 06-30-2009; and

G.M. No. 760

PIHANALANI N.E.J. NAPOLEON-GRAMBUSCH,

for a term to expire 06-30-2007.

 

begs leave to report as follows:

Your Committee received testimony in support of the reappointment of GARY L. BLAICH, M.D. from the Department of Health. Dr. Blaich has been serving on the State Council on Mental Health since June 2003, through which he has advocated for parity, expanded funding for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health and the Adult Mental Health Divisions of the Department of Health, and for broadened, increased service to the patients and families they serve. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of Washington School of Medicine, and is a psychiatrist who has been board-certified in the specialties of neurology and psychiatry since 1994. Dr. Blaich has practiced psychiatry in Hawaii for thirty years. He has particular expertise working with the population of mentally ill patients with a substance abuse disorder (MISA). Dr. Blaich is an active volunteer with various organizations relating to his professional and community interests.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the appointment of SUSAN A. COOPER from the Department of Health and one individual. Ms. Cooper is a graduate of the William S. Richardson School of Law, and was involved with the Felix consent decree. She is presently the executive director of the Hawaii Families as Allies, a statewide nonprofit agency providing training, information, and support for self-advocacy and system transformation for families of children with emotional, mental, and behavioral challenges. As the parent of a child with a serious emotional disturbance, Ms. Cooper will provide the Council with parental and familial perspectives on mental illness.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the appointment of LEIALOHA G.K. JENKINS from the Department of Health. Ms. Jenkins earned a bachelor's degree in social work from Brigham Young University and currently is working toward her master's degree in social work at the University of Hawaii. She has been a case manager at the Department of Human Services since 2003. Ms. Jenkins' community service includes serving as the co-chair of the Ko'olauloa Community Children's Council since 2000, and as the Ko'olauloa Interagency co-chair since 2002.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the appointment of ALVA O. KANEAIAKALA from the Department of Health. Ms. Kaneaiakala is a retired registered nurse, and the mother of two persistently mentally ill children. She is particularly interested in finding ways to encourage the involvement of the families and friends of the mentally ill, particularly the homeless mentally ill population.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the appointment of KU'ULEI A. KILIONA from the Department of Health and two individuals. Ms. Kiliona earned an associate's degree in interpersonal communications from Sacramento City College and a bachelor's degree in communications from California State University. She also has studied broadcast communications and psychology at the University of Hawaii and journalism at California Baptist College. Subsequent to becoming mentally and physically disabled, Ms. Kiliona has been an advocate of people with disabilities for more than seventeen years. Her volunteer activities include service on the Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Hawaii Service Area Board. In addition to her personal experiences and her advocacy work, Ms. Kiliona's appointment to the State Council on Mental Health would satisfy the statutory requirement that the various service area boards be represented on the Council.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the appointment of COLLEEN KU'ULANI MIYASHIRO from the Department of Health and three individuals. Ms. Miyashiro earned an associate's degree from Windward Community College and is pursuing a bachelor's degree in social work from Hawaii Pacific University. She has firsthand knowledge of the challenges facing families of mental health consumers, has volunteered in the community with organizations that provide mental health services, and headed the Social Work Club at Hawaii Pacific University.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the reappointment of PAULA T.T. MORELLI, Ph.D. from the Department of Health. Dr. Morelli earned a bachelor's degree in social science and a master's degree in social work from the University of Southern California, a bachelor's degree in art history from California State University, and her Ph.D. in social welfare from the University of Washington. She is licensed in clinical social work and marriage, child and family therapy in California, is licensed in social work in Hawaii, and is a professor of social work at the University of Hawaii. Dr. Morelli is actively involved with various organizations relating to her professional and community interests. She also has participated in numerous research and training projects with the Adult Mental Health and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Divisions of the Department of Health.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the appointment of PIHANALANI N.E.J. NAPOLEON-GRAMBUSCH from the Department of Health. Ms. Napoleon-Grambusch is an active member of Ko'olau Clubhouse, where she sits on the Education, Advocacy, and Dual Diagnoses Committee. She is especially keen to work with youth, especially dually diagnosed youth, because of her personal experiences with mental illness and chemical dependency. Ms. Napoleon-Grambusch plans to relocate to Molokai, where she intends to work with the Maui-based Hale O Lanakila Clubhouse and the representative from the Maui-area Service Board to establish a clubhouse on Molokai.

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