HI HR149

Requests the Department of Psychiatry at University of Hawaii at Manoa to convene a Mental Health Access Working Group to develop recommendations for mental health care standards, increased access to mental health providers, and improved use of telemedicine and physician extenders.

Working Group composition includes 31 members representing state agencies, legislature committees, universities, health systems, insurance providers, mental health professionals across multiple disciplines, and three patients with severe psychiatric diagnoses (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe depression).

Working Group must address the shortage of mental health professionals statewide with particular focus on neighbor islands and rural areas, and inventory available workforce across physicians, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists, social workers, and spiritual healers.

Specifically examines the question of whether clinical psychologists should be granted prescriptive authority by comparing their training to other prescribing professionals who complete medical prerequisite coursework in chemistry, biology, and physiology.

Requires Working Group to submit findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than 20 days before the 2016 Regular Session convenes.