STAND. COM. REP. NO.
Honolulu, Hawaii
APR 0 1 2025
RE: S.R. No. 51
S .D. 1
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2025
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Labor and Technology, to which was referred
S.R. No. 51 entitled:
"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT TO MORE CLOSELY COOPERATE WITH THE
HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT UNITS ASSIGNED TO STATE AGENCIES
COMPRISING THE STATE'S PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM TO
DETERMINE THE NECESSARY ACTIONS TO EXPEDITE HIRING AND
FILLING CRITICAL VACANCIES, INCLUDING SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS
THE OBSTACLES AND CHALLENGES UNIQUE TO THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE
WORKFORCE,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the
Department of Human Resources Development to more closely
cooperate with the human resources development units assigned to
state agencies comprising the State's public mental health care
system to determine the necessary actions to expedite hiring and
filling critical vacancies, including solutions to address the
obstacles and challenges unique to the mental health care
workforce.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Department of Human Resources Development, State Council
on Mental Health, and one individual.
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Your Committee finds that mental health professionals in the
State's public mental health system are experiencing high levels
of burnout due to excessive caseloads, administrative burdens, and
exposure to trauma, resulting in high turnover rates. Your
Committee further finds that difficulty in maintaining a stable
workforce threatens the quality, sustainability, and stability of
the State's provision of mental health care to people in need.
Negative impacts on the availability and quality of care are most
harmful to the State's vulnerable populations, including children
and the elderly. This measure urges closer cooperation between
the Department of Human Resources Development and human resources
units assigned to state agencies within the public mental health
care system to expedite and modernize recruitment and retention
practices to improve access to mental health services in the
State.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Clarifying that the Department of Human Resources
Development is requested to cooperate with the state
agencies comprising the State's public mental health
care system, rather than the Department's human
resources development units assigned to those agencies;
(2) Adding the Director of Health, Director of Human
Services, Superintendent of Education, Director of
Corrections and Rehabilitation, and Chief Justice of the
Judiciary as recipients of certified.copies of this
measure;
(3) Amending its title accordingly; and
(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the
purposes of clarity and consistency.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Labor and Technology that is attached to this report,
your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 51,
as amended herein, and recommends its adoption.in the form
attached hereto as S.R. No. 51, S.D. 1.
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Respectfully submitted on
behalf of the members of the
Committee on Labor and
Technology,
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 The Senate
Thirty-Third Legislature
State of Hawaii
Record of Votes
Committee on Labor and Technology
LBT
Bill / Resolution No.:* Committee Referral: Date:
MS'/ 1-^
The Committee is reconsidering its previous decision on this measure.
If so, then the previous decision was to:___________________________________
The Recommendation is:
Pass, unamended Pass, with amendments __ Hold __ Recommit
2312 ' 2311 2310 2313
Members Aye Aye (WR) Nay Excused
AQUINO, Henry J.C. (C)
LEE, Chris (VC)
IHARA, Jr., Les
MORIWAKI, Sharon Y. K
FEVELLA, Kurt
TOTAL 2L
Recommendation:
Adopted __ Not Adopted
Chair’s or Designee’s Signature:
Distribution; Original Yellow Pink Goldenrod
File with Committee Report Clerk's Office Drafting Agency Committee File Copy
*Only one measure per Record of Votes
Revised: 12/09/24