STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1334

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

 

RE:   S.B. No. 1802

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1802 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to enable health care providers to share necessary and relevant information from mental health records while preserving a patient's dignity and privacy.

 

     Specifically, this measure establishes an exception to the confidentiality of mental health records to allow a health care provider to disclose information to another health care provider for the purposes of the patient's continued care or treatment.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Association of Health Plans, Hawaii Management Alliance Association, Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Pacific Health, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Kahi Mohala Behavioral Health, Kaiser Permanente, National Alliance on Mental Health Oahu, and the Queen's Medical Center.

 

     Currently, necessary mental health services may be delayed or denied because mental health record information cannot be shared between health care providers.  Your Committee finds that this narrow exception to the confidentiality of mental health records will assist patients to receive timely treatment and services without diminishing patient rights.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1802 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Chair