Bill Text: HI SB754 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To Behavioral Health.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-12-11 - Carried over to 2024 Regular Session. [SB754 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2024-SB754-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
754 |
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THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to behavioral health.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
The legislature further finds that the current behavioral health crisis disproportionately affects residents in underserved rural communities, such as the Ka‘ū district in the county of Hawai‘i. For residents in Ka‘ū, seeking care requires traveling approximately seventy miles to Kona or fifty miles to Hilo, with few options for care within immediate reach. In addition to this physical barrier, little privacy and stigmatization of behavioral health within small tight-knit communities further deters residents from seeking care.
The legislature further finds that the county of Hawai‘i is facing a severe behavioral health crisis. Between 2018 and 2022, the department of health's behavioral health services administration reported 3,517 discharges related to mental health disorders and 7,416 discharges related to substance abuse. These statistics represent only those individuals who sought care. Estimates for the number of individuals in the county suffering from behavioral health issues are nearly double those reported.
The legislature further finds that rural health clinics serve an essential role in underserved communities, including Ka‘ū. Rural health clinics address the dearth of physicians serving medicare beneficiaries in rural areas, increasing availability of and access to medically necessary face-to-face primary health services performed by rural health clinic practitioners, including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, certified nurse midwives, clinical psychologists, and social workers.
The purpose of this Act is to require the Hawaii health systems corporation to partner with a nonprofit organization in the Ka‘ū district in the county of Hawai‘i to conduct a needs assessment to determine the demand for and access to urgent care and outpatient behavioral health services in Ka‘ū.
SECTION 2.
(a) The Hawaii health systems
corporation shall partner with a nonprofit organization whose mission is to
preserve access to quality health care in rural communities in the Ka‘ū
district in the county of Hawai‘i,
such as the Ka‘ū
Rural Health Community Association, Inc., to conduct a needs assessment to
determine the demand for and access to urgent care and outpatient behavioral
health services in Ka‘ū.
(b)
The Hawaii health systems corporation shall submit a report of its
findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the
legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular
session of 2024.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Behavioral Health; Hawaii Health Systems Corporation; Hawaii County; Kau District; Needs Assessment; Report
Description:
Requires the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation to partner with a nonprofit organization in the Kau District in the County of Hawaii to conduct a needs assessment to determine the demand for and access to urgent care and outpatient behavioral health services in Kau. Requires a report to the Legislature.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
