STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2832

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 215, 216, 217

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 215, 216, and 217, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

 

Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Kaua'i Service Area Board

 

G.M. No. 215

CRYSTAL LEE AGUINALDO,

for a term to expire 6-30-2013;

 

G.M. No. 216

THOMAS E. DORSEY PHD,

for a term to expire 6-30-2014; and

 

G.M. No. 217

BRENDA K. VIADO CRC,

for a term to expire 6-30-2014,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by the nominees and finds Crystal Lee Aguinaldo, Thomas E. Dorsey, and Brenda K. Viado to possess the requisite qualifications to be nominated to the Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Kauai Service Area Board.

 

     Testimony in support of Crystal Lee Aguinaldo's nomination to the Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Kauai Service Area Board was submitted by the Department of Health.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Crystal Lee Aguinaldo's professional experience in the mental health field includes employment with the Steadfast Housing Development Corporation, an organization dedicated to providing housing and employment opportunities to persons with serious and persistent mental illness, working as a peer coach with Mental Health Kokua, and as a Network of Care Peer Educator with the Hawaii Mental Health Transformation State Incentive Grant Department.  Ms. Aguinaldo is currently working as a peer coach.

 

     Your Committee finds that Crystal Lee Aguinaldo's experience in the mental health field, her personal experiences overcoming mental health issues, and her previous experience serving on the Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Kauai Service Area Board make her an excellent candidate for the Board.  Your Committee recognizes her valuable insight and appreciates her dedication to her peers.

 

     Testimony in support of Thomas E. Dorsey's nomination to the Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Kauai Service Area Board was submitted by the Department of Health.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Thomas E. Dorsey is a retired psychologist with over forty years of experience in the field of mental health.  For fifteen of those years, Dr. Dorsey specialized in providing mental health and substance abuse treatment in the Kauai community.  In addition to his extensive professional experience, Dr. Dorsey has previously served on the Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Kauai Service Area Board from 2002-2005 and again in 2008 through the present.  Dr. Dorsey currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the Board. 

 

     Your Committee finds that Dr. Dorsey has been an asset for the Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Kauai Service Area Board and will continue to provide insight and understanding of mental health issues due to his depth of experience as well as his familiarity with the Board's areas of concern.  Your Committee wishes to commend Dr. Dorsey for the leadership role that he has undertaken on the Board and hopes that he will continue his community involvement in his area of expertise.

 

     Testimony in support of Brenda K. Viado's nomination to the Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Kauai Service Area Board was submitted by the Department of Health and the Department of Human Services.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Brenda K. Viado currently works as a certified rehabilitation counselor with the Kauai Branch Administrator of the Vocational Rehabilitation and Services for the Blind Division of the Hawaii Department of Human Services.  Ms. Viado has worked with the Vocational Rehabilitation and Services for the Blind Division for more than thirty years and has garnered extensive knowledge of the challenges facing the disabled community.

 

     Your Committee finds that Ms. Viado has served as the Chair of the Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Kauai Service Area Board and was recently reelected as Chair by her peers on the Board.   This vote of confidence in Ms. Viado's leadership and insight into disability issues, in addition to Ms. Viado's extensive professional experience with the disabled community, makes her an exceptional candidate for reappointment to the Board.   

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that are 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,

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair