STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2611

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2560

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2560, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to address the mental health of homeless persons.

 

     More specifically, the measure:

 

     (1)  Requires the Department of Health to provide treatment and care for homeless individuals with serious and persistent mental health challenges that prevent them from obtaining housing and residing successfully in the community; and

 

     (2)  Appropriates $1,000,000 in general funds to the Department of Health for the provision of mental health care and treatment for homeless individuals.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Department of Community Services of the City and County of Honolulu, and Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition.

 

     Your Committee finds that many homeless individuals suffer from serious and persistent mental health challenges that prevent them from accessing and maintaining permanent housing.  Reaching out to these individuals and providing them with effective mental health treatment and care will help break the cycle of homelessness for many individuals with serious and persistent mental health challenges.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the appropriation from $1,000,000 to an unspecified amount to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

 

     (2)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     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 S.B. No. 2560, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2560, S.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair