STAND. COM. REP. NO.  57-20

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2020

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2043

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2043 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to improve minors' access to mental health care by:

 

     (1)  Allowing an unlicensed mental health professional, working under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional, to provide mental health treatment or counseling services to minors without parental or legal guardian consent, knowledge, or participation;

 

     (2)  Requiring a mental health professional to assist a minor receiving minor-initiated mental health treatment or counseling services with completing a nondisclosure notification form to send to covered entities, when appropriate; and

 

     (3)  Requiring a covered entity, upon receiving a completed notification form, to maintain nondisclosure of minor‑initiated mental health treatment or counseling services.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Democratic Party of Hawaii, League of Women Voters, Hawaii Psychological Association, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, Mental Health America of Hawaii, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Association of Health Plans.

 

     Your Committee finds that this measure is based on the November 2018 report submitted to the Legislature by the Sexual Orientation Counseling Task Force convened pursuant to Act 13, Session Laws of Hawaii 2018.  In its report, the task force generally agreed that existing laws should be amended to increase access to adolescent mental health services by allowing unlicensed mental health professionals to provide minor-initiated mental health treatment or counseling services under the supervision of licensed mental health professionals and maintain the confidentiality of those services.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     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 H.B. No. 2043, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2043, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Consumer Protection & Commerce.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair