STAND. COM. REP. NO. 741

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 428

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 428 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to allow a licensed, doctoral-level psychologist who has completed a master's degree in psychopharmacology, achieved sufficient expertise, obtained a federal Drug Enforcement Agency registration number, and met other requirements to prescribe certain psychotropic medications when working under the supervision of, or in collaboration with, a licensed physician.  

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the American Psychological Association, the National Association of Social Workers, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Hawaii Primary Care Association,  Kalihi-Palama Health Center, Hoola Lahui Hawaii, Kokua Kalihi Valley, Lanai Women's Center, Community Clinic of Maui, Na Puuwai Native Hawaiian Health Care System, and various private citizens.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Board of Psychology, Psychologists Opposed to Prescription Privileges for Psychologists, Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, and various private citizens.  Testimony with comments on this measure was received from the Department of Human Services and the Hawaii Medical Board.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee finds that this measure expresses a policy that has been considered by the Legislature in the past and continues to have merit.  Your Committee finds that the unavailability of adequate mental health care has reached crisis proportions in this State, especially in remote and rural areas that are underserved by the State's public and private resources.

 

     Your Committee also finds that this measure reflects a growing trend across the country to increase access to mental health care by allowing licensed, doctoral-level psychologists to prescribe psychotropic medications.  Your Committee notes that, as of March 2, 2009, the federal Department of Defense (DOD) has instructed all branches of the armed services to reinstate their own psychologist prescription programs to serve the needs of active duty personnel and veterans.  Your Committee further notes that this measure is even more protective than the DOD programs in that it requires some level of physician supervision for both a temporary and a permanent prescriptive license.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Specifying that only a master's degree in psychopharmacology, as opposed to an equivalent degree, will suffice to meet the degree qualification for a prescriptive license; and

 

     (2)  Making nonsubstantive, technical changes for the purpose of clarity and accuracy.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 428, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 428, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

 

 

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair