STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1268-18

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2018

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2276

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health & Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2276, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Department of Human Services (DHS) to establish and staff a five-year pilot program in east Hawaii County that limits the number of children per child welfare services caseworker to no more than twenty.

 

     The DHS, Mayor of the County of Hawaii, two Council Members of the Hawaii County Council, County of Hawaii Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Hawaii Family Forum, Winner's Camp, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Friends of the Children's Justice Center of East Hawaii, Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Hawaii Children's Action Network, and numerous individuals provided testimony in support of this measure.  The National Family Advocacy Team provided testimony in opposition to this measure.  The Children's Justice Center of East Hawaii provided comments.

 

     Your Committee notes that testimony presented at the public hearing on this measure recommended that DHS adopt recommendations from the 2017 Hawaii Final Report of the Child and Family Services Review, that states: "the CFSR identified cross-cutting practice concerns that affect the state's ability to meet safety, permanency, and well-being outcomes. The Children's Bureau encourages Hawaii, in developing its Program Improvement Plan, to focus on the following key cross-cutting priorities: conducting quality safety assessments, achieving timely permanency for children in foster care, engaging parents in quality caseworker visits, and strengthening the agency and contract case management workforce."

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Requiring that the DHS submit a report of its findings and recommendations relating to the implementation of the pilot program, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2019; and

 

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health & Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2276, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2276, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health & Human Services,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair