Bill Text: HI SB3279 | 2024 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Mental Health.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Engrossed) 2024-04-24 - The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Belatti, Takenouchi, Kila, Lamosao, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none. [SB3279 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2024-SB3279-Amended.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
3279 |
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THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
The legislature further finds that research conducted over the past fifty years in the fields of psychology, public health, neuroscience, and organizational development demonstrate the critical importance of a tiered approach to comprehensively address statewide mental health concerns and provide every individual with the skills and resources they need to take care of themselves, their families, and their broader ecosystems. Tier 1 mental health support systems provide skills training, curricula, and programming to all stakeholders of an organization such as schools, community centers, police and fire departments, medical institutions, and other first responder facilities. Tier 1 systems provide a common vocabulary and set of wellness practices that members of the organization collectively share to promote a safe and healthy organizational culture for everyone. Tier 2 mental health support systems recognize that certain populations within an organization may be at higher risk for certain mental illnesses than others, and so these groups require specialized training, support, and skill‑building that is culturally contextualized to best support the specific needs of the high-risk group. Tier 2 systems therefore exist to provide additional specialized group support interventions. Taken together, these tiers of support cover the core mental health needs of individuals, groups, organizations, and communities.
The legislature further finds that a comprehensive mental health support system on a statewide level requires the seamless integration of tier 1 and 2 support services. Tier 1 systems benefit public institutions through whole-organization tier 1 training for students, school staff, firefighters, police officers, medical staff, and other first responder groups. Higher risk groups within each of these organizations benefit from tier 2 approaches through culturally responsive support systems. Overall, mentally well individuals create safe and healthy communities, which further promote a safe and healthy state for all citizens.
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to:
(1) Establish the state of well-being project and a timeline for the project to:
(A) Assess current tiers of mental health support services; and
(B) Enhance existing well-being programming and, when non-existent, build out culturally grounded and community-informed well-being programming to establish mental health support services for key stakeholder communities across the State; and
(2) Appropriate funds.
SECTION 2. Chapter 27, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part IX to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§27- State of well-being project; established. (a) There is established within the office the state of well-being project to assess and enhance tier 1 and tier 2 mental health support services for key stakeholder communities across the State. The project shall:
(1) Assess
and enhance existing tier 1 and tier 2 mental health training and ongoing
support services to public schools, public community centers, first responder
groups, police departments, fire departments, hospitals, and medical staff and,
when non-existent, build out culturally grounded and community-informed
well-being programming;
(2) Track
and measure aggregate mental health trends across all populations served by the
project; and
(3) Hire
and train mental health specialists and work with approved partner
organizations identified by the office to lead project execution across tier 1
and tier 2 support services in each key stakeholder community.
(b)
The office shall administer the state of well-being project in
accordance with the following timeline:
(1) Beginning
in 2024, initiate a landscape assessment of existing tier 1 and tier 2 services
by December 31, 2025; and
(2) Beginning in 2025, initiate the enhancement of existing tier 1 and tier 2 services and, when non‑existent, build out culturally grounded and community-informed well-being programming, with statewide implementation to be achieved by December 31, 2027.
(c)
For the purposes of this section:
"Tier 1 mental health support"
means well-being service provision that is aimed at the entire system and
population within an organization.
"Tier 2 mental health support"
means well-being service provision that is aimed at populations within an
organization that are at higher risk of mental health challenges."
SECTION 3. Chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part XXI to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§346- State of well-being project; established. (a) There is established within the office the state of well-being project to assess and enhance tier 1 and tier 2 mental health support services for key stakeholder communities across the State. The project shall:
(1) Assess
and enhance existing tier 1 and tier 2 mental health training and ongoing
support services to public schools, public community centers, first responder
groups, police departments, fire departments, hospitals, and medical staff and,
when non-existent, build out culturally grounded and community-informed
well-being programming;
(2) Track
and measure aggregate mental health trends across all populations served by the
project; and
(3) Hire
and train mental health specialists and work with approved partner
organizations identified by the office to lead project execution across tier 1
and tier 2 support services in each key stakeholder community.
(b)
The office shall administer the state of well-being project in
accordance with the following timeline:
(1) Beginning
in 2024, initiate a landscape assessment of existing tier 1 and tier 2 services
by December 31, 2025; and
(2) Beginning
in 2025, initiate the enhancement of existing tier 1 and tier 2 services and,
when non‑existent, build out culturally grounded and community-informed
well-being programming, with statewide implementation to be achieved by
December 31, 2027.
(c)
For the purposes of this section:
"Tier 1 mental health support"
means well-being service provision that is aimed at the entire system and
population within an organization.
"Tier 2 mental health support"
means well-being service provision that is aimed at populations within an
organization that are at higher risk of mental health challenges."
SECTION 4. In accordance with section 9 of article VII of the Hawaii State Constitution and sections 37-91 and 37-93, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the legislature has determined that the appropriations contained in Act 164, Regular Session of 2023, and this Act will cause the state general fund expenditure ceiling for fiscal year 2024-2025 to be exceeded by $ or per cent. This current declaration takes into account general fund appropriations authorized for fiscal year 2024-2025 in Act 164, Regular Session of 2023, and this Act only. The reasons for exceeding the general fund expenditure ceiling are that:
(1) The appropriation made in this Act is necessary to serve the public interest; and
(2) The appropriation made in this Act meets the needs addressed by this Act.
SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 to establish the state of well-being project and fund full‑time equivalent ( .0 FTE) mental health specialist positions within the office of wellness and resilience.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the office of wellness and resilience for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 6. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050; provided that:
(1) Section 2 of this Act shall be repealed on June 30, 2025; and
(2) Section 3 of this Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.
Report Title:
OWR; State of Well-being Project; Tier 1 and Tier 2 Mental Health Support Services; General Fund Expenditure Ceiling Exceeded; Appropriation
Description:
Establishes within the Office of Wellness and Resilience the State of Well-being Project to assess and enhance tier 1 and tier 2 mental health support services for all key stakeholder communities across the State. Appropriates moneys to establish an unspecified number of full-time equivalent mental health specialist positions within the Office of Wellness and Resilience. Declares that the general fund expenditure ceiling for fiscal year 2024-2025 is exceeded. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
