STAND. COM. REP. NO. 821

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1036

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1036, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to improve substance abuse treatment in the State.

 

     Specifically, the measure:

 

     (1)  Requires the Department of Health to establish a comprehensive and coordinated continuum of treatment services for substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders;

 

     (2)  Establishes a task force to address health care and payment reform steps to implement an effective addiction treatment system as a component of health care; and

 

     (3)  Appropriates $336,000,000 for the Department of Health to provide substance abuse and addiction treatment.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Action with Aloha, and one individual.  The Department of Health provided written comments on the measure.

 

     Your Committee finds that while the costly cycle of substance abuse is currently a financial burden on the State's health care system, it is also a treatable disease worthy of more attention and resources.  However, your Committee also finds that requiring the Department of Health to immediately establish a comprehensive and coordinated continuum of treatment services for persons with substance abuse problems and co-occurring mental health disorders without the benefit of the findings and recommendations of the substance abuse task force created in this measure would be premature.  Your Committee believes that the task force's efforts will help the Department of Health plan and implement effective treatments and address payment issues for substance abuse disorders, which in turn may reduce costs to the State's health care and criminal justice systems.

 

     Your Committee notes that according to the Department of Health, the estimated average expense to convene a task force is $17,000.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting section 2, which requires the Department of Health to establish a comprehensive and coordinated continuum of treatment services for substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders;

 

     (2)  Deleting section 4, which appropriates $336,000,000 for the Department of Health to provide substance abuse and addiction treatment;

 

     (3)  Clarifying that the Director of Health or the Director's designee shall serve as Chairperson of the task force;

 

     (4)  Clarifying the methods of selecting task force members from the Legislature and private organizations;

 

     (5)  Clarifying that members of the task force shall serve without pay but be compensated for their expenses relating to their service, including travel expenses;

 

     (6)  Inserting a new section to appropriate an unspecified amount for the Department of Health to convene the task force;

 

     (7)  Making conforming amendments to the purpose section to reflect amendments made to the substantive provisions of the measure;

 

     (8)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

 

     (9)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1036, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1036, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair