Bill Text: HI SB597 | 2012 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Prescriptive Authority; Psychologists

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2011-12-01 - Carried over to 2012 Regular Session. [SB597 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-SB597-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 425

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 597

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 597 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize appropriately trained and supervised licensed psychologists to prescribe psychotropic medications for the treatment of mental illness to promote the delivery of comprehensive, accessible, and affordable mental health medical care throughout the State.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Medical Service Association, Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, Hawai‘i Primary Care Association, American Psychological Association Practice Organization, Through the Looking Glass, and eight private citizens.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Public Safety and ten private citizens.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Board of Psychology and the Hawaii Medical Association.

 

     Your Committee finds that mental health care delivery within the State of Hawaii may be enhanced by providing trained medical psychologists, licensed in Hawaii, with limited prescriptive authority.  Your Committee heard testimony concerning the measure's broad delegation of authority to a psychologist to prescribe psychotropic medications and understands this to be a valid concern that needs further consideration.

 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Amending the prescriptive authority granted under this measure to apply to antidepressant medication, rather than psychotropic medication, and adding a definition for antidepressant medication;

 

     (2)  Eliminating the definition of psychotropic medication and making conforming amendments throughout this measure; and

 

     (3)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to allow for further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 597, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 597, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

 

		____________________________ JOSH GREEN, M.D., Chair