HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

91

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

requesting a study on the use of drugs to treat attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children.

 

 

WHEREAS, behavior of children, especially boys and "tomboys" that was considered normal in previous generations is now being diagnosed at an increasing rate as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); and

WHEREAS, the 1998 National Institute of Health Consensus Statement on ADHD found that, while the prevalence of ADHD in the United States has been estimated at about three to five percent, a wider range of prevalence has been reported across studies; and

WHEREAS, in Texas, the Board of Education found that up to 15 percent of school-age children, approximately 1,000,000 are taking psychiatric drugs for diagnoses of ADHD, which is three to five times what the estimated prevalence would be; and

WHEREAS, the Texas Board of Education, after hearing a full day of testimony from medical professionals from across the nation about the increasing problem of over-prescription of Ritalin and other psychiatric drugs to children, passed a resolution expressing serious concern about the tremendous growth in use of psychiatric drugs among school children; and

WHEREAS, prominent family psychologist John Rosemond has spoken out against the perceived over-drugging and over-diagnosing of ADHD; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii's situation is unclear with regard to the number of children diagnosed with ADHD and the percentage of Hawaii school children that are taking medication, such as Ritalin to treat ADHD; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature needs baseline data to determine if there is a problem in Hawaii and how it can be addressed, if necessary; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2002, the Senate concurring, that the Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) is requested to:

(1) Gather available information on the number of Hawaii school children being diagnosed with ADHD and the percentage of these children that are on medication such as Ritalin for treatment;

(2) Provide possible options and alternatives to ADHD diagnosis and treatment; and

(3) Recommend legislation, if applicable;

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that LRB is requested to obtain information from other states to determine whether they have taken action on this issue, and to compile that information for legislative consideration; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health and Department of Education are requested to cooperate with LRB in compiling the data required for this study; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that LRB is requested to submit its report to the Legislature no later than 20 days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2003; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health, Superintendent of Education, and Acting Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Report Title:

ADHD; Overdrugging Children