HCR 44 Summary

• Convenes a Behavioral Health Task Force to develop policies and procedures for timely admission of behavioral health patients to Hawaii State Hospital as non-forensic patients, addressing the shortage of non-forensic beds.

• Task force must consider whether Chapter 704, Hawaii Revised Statutes should be amended or whether administrative rules and policies can create additional non-forensic bed space at the hospital.

• Membership consists of one representative each from: Senate and House public safety committees, Senate and House judiciary committees, Senate commerce/health and House health committees, Senate and House human services committees, Chief Justice of Hawaii Supreme Court, one First Circuit Mental Health Court judge and one neighbor island Mental Health Court judge, and the Director of Behavioral Health Administration.

• Task force must elect its own chairperson and submit findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the 2021 regular session.

• Identifies that over 20% of chronically homeless persons have behavioral health illnesses and that forensic patients are disproportionately filling available beds, leaving fewer beds for non-forensic patients requiring treatment and stabilization.