aloha im a new member and recently put in my application to acquire but am having hard time understanding the mental health waiver. i talked to my doctor today about it and he was also not familiar with the process. he told me though that if he was going to release any medical information that i had to sign a release waiver, but my friend told me that they dont ask any medical related questions so it wont be necessary. Im pretty confused I have never had any mental health issues so i don't know if me signing the waiver would be necessary but at the same time i don't want my application process to get stalled, does anyone know what they ask the doctor in the letter they send and if any medial information is shared? thanks

Basically they send your doctor a letter stating that if you should not own a firearm please send back the paper.  If they do not hear from the doctor within a week PD assumes you are safe. and issues you the permit

Kinda stupid if you ask me.

I've purchased "a few" firearms over the years and have had the same doctor for 20+ years.

A few months ago, I asked my doctor what kind of questions does HPD ask when they contact him regarding me purchasing firearms.

He said he's never been contacted about firearms as far as he can remember.

aloha im a new member and recently put in my application to acquire but am having hard time understanding the mental health waiver. i talked to my doctor today about it and he was also not familiar with the process. he told me though that if he was going to release any medical information that i had to sign a release waiver, but my friend told me that they dont ask any medical related questions so it wont be necessary. Im pretty confused I have never had any mental health issues so i don't know if me signing the waiver would be necessary but at the same time i don't want my application process to get stalled, does anyone know what they ask the doctor in the letter they send and if any medial information is shared? thanks

The waivers are required (HRS §134-2), so if you don't sign them, your application is NOT processed. As for what is asked? Well, IF they ask, it's just general health care/mental health history questions relevant to a persons fitness to own a firearm (i.e. history of depression, substance abuse, anger issues, etc.). Usually they only get into medical history if something comes up in the basic background check.

thanks for the help! i did sign all the papers at hpd the waiver i was talking about was a medical release form my doctor gave me so he could legally release any medical information if thy asked.

i'm fairly certain that waiver acts on your behalf to allow them to ask your doctor and is a release

interesting that KK's doctor never got asked about his medical/psych history

thanks for the help! i did sign all the papers at hpd the waiver i was talking about was a medical release form my doctor gave me so he could legally release any medical information if thy asked.

thanks for the help! i did sign all the papers at hpd the waiver i was talking about was a medical release form my doctor gave me so he could legally release any medical information if thy asked.

Healthcare providers cannot legally release information without a release from the patient, or a court order. The doctor giving you a form for the HPD is redundant and not necessary, although I am pretty sure he's just trying to comply with a complex and confusing set of Federal rules governing patient privacy (Generally referred to as HIPAA).

HPD treats non-responses from care providers as a "not adversely affected" response.

My physician used to call me each time he got the request for information when I applied...after several discussion he simply ignores the requests now.....

My physician used to call me each time he got the request for information when I applied...after several discussion he simply ignores the requests now.....

My old doctor did too but he was a gun owner and the conversation went more like "hey so what gun did you buy this time" and we would end up talking gun stuff for a while. Poor guy had a massive heart attack at 53 but I enjoyed our gun conversations.

interesting that KK's doctor never got asked about his medical/psych history

That's because he was talking about his proctologist and not his general practitioner (jus kidding).

Went to the doctor today for a bi-annual check up.  Mind you,  I bought my first rifle in November of 2012 and I haven't seen him in 6 months and the first thing he asks me when he walks through the door is, "so you got a gun?" (not "hello" or "how are you").  So I guess the HPD IS doing those medical background checks.  At least I know my doctor is anti-gun and I know what not to talk about the next time I see him.

Went to the doctor today for a bi-annual check up.  Mind you,  I bought my first rifle in November of 2012 and I haven't seen him in 6 months and the first thing he asks me when he walks through the door is, "so you got a gun?" (not "hello" or "how are you").  So I guess the HPD IS doing those medical background checks.  At least I know my doctor is anti-gun and I know what not to talk about the next time I see him.

Wow.

they dont do that on the big Island

they dont do that on the big Island

Sounds like if you're a gun owner in the state of Hawaii, the Big Island is the place to be from all the things I've been hearing.

Healthcare providers cannot legally release information without a release from the patient, or a court order. The doctor giving you a form for the HPD is redundant and not necessary, although I am pretty sure he's just trying to comply with a complex and confusing set of Federal rules governing patient privacy (Generally referred to as HIPAA).

HPD treats non-responses from care providers as a "not adversely affected" response.

My physician used to call me each time he got the request for information when I applied...after several discussion he simply ignores the requests now.....

You know you are the first person I've ever heard of whose Doctor actually called them back?