STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1150

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 129

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 129, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PERINATAL CARE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to address the serious issue of substance abuse, especially methamphetamine, by pregnant women, by appropriating funds to continue the Path Clinic, a perinatal clinic pilot program.

 

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from Gladys C. Baisa, Council Member, County Council, County of Maui; Dr. Morris Mitsunaga, President, Hawaii Medical Association; Lin Joseph, Director of Program Services, March of Dimes Hawaii Chapter; Jackie Berry, Executive Director, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies; Amy Monk, Legislative Committee, Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus; Katie Reardon, Director of Government Relations & Public Affairs, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii; Jeanne Y. Ohta, Executive Director, The Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii; Pamela Lichty, MPH, President, The Drug Policy Action Group; Kat Brady, Coordinator, Community Alliance on Prisons; Rachel Dorr, MSW, Social Worker, The Path Clinic; and five individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that the Path Clinic pilot program has proven to be very successful and a cost-effective way to provide critical services to pregnant women who suffer from substance abuse.  The Path Clinic pilot program provides its patients with a unique integration of prenatal care, social service support, parenting education, and transportation to address their addictions in a caring and nonjudgmental setting.  The efficacy of the Path Clinic is evidenced by the fact that ninety-four per cent of the women treated were tested to be substance-free at the time of their infant's birth, which results in healthier mothers and children.  Your Committee believes that this successful pilot program should continue to be funded.   

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2117, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

 

     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 H.B. No. 129, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 129, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair