STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1212-20

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2020

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2877

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 2877, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to clarify the qualifications for licensure as a mental health counselor in the State by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that the practicum internship experience requirement is part of the course work in counseling requirement, rather than a standalone requirement;

 

     (2)  Clarifying that the supervised mental health practicum intern experience requirement is a total of three hundred hours of supervised client contact across two academic terms; and

 

     (3)  Permitting applicants to fulfill their face-to-face clinical supervision requirement, in whole or in part, through a videoconference service.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Democratic Party of Hawaii, and six individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that the State's Mental Health Counselor Licensing Program does not align with other jurisdictions with regard to the hours required of course work in counseling.  Under existing law, applicants for a mental health counselor license in Hawaii must provide fifty-four semester hours or eighty-two quarter hours of course work training.  However, under the national standard, applicants need only to provide forty-eight semester hours or seventy-two quarter hours of course work training.  This measure aligns the licensing requirement standards under state law to the national standard.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to upon approval.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2877, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2877, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair