Report Title:

Faith based organizations

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

141

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING THAT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII AGREE TO FACILITATE PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENT TO TACKLE SOCIAL PROBLEMS.

 

 

WHEREAS, the religious community has cultural, spiritual, human, financial, and structural resources located in almost every community of Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, the religious community of Hawaii has a long and venerable history of service to the youths and adults of our community; and

WHEREAS, welfare reform shifts the responsibility for solving, managing, and preventing problems to states and localities, but allocates less money, forcing communities to do more with less; and

WHEREAS, as we move further into the era of a more locally financed social service system, it is clear that we need new ways to solve, manage, and prevent some of the major problems surrounding us; and

WHEREAS, for those who are trying to solve the everyday problems of helping those in need, constructing partnerships with the religious community is a viable way to be of assistance and maintain stability in a time of great programmatic changes; and

WHEREAS, the faith community has seven major assets: (1) a mission to serve the poor; (2) a pool of volunteers; (3) extra useable space; (4) great potential for raising money to help local service efforts; (5) political strength; (6) moral authority; and (7) creativity and experimentation; and

WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii already has contracted with religiously affiliated organizations such as the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities and YMCA for the purpose of providing youth development programs and family services, among others, and whose volunteers propelled by faith are among the workhorses that many nonprofit groups depend on; and

WHEREAS, the religious community’s importance in the delivery of local social services will continue to grow; and

WHEREAS, the religious community will not be able to take over the country’s social welfare matters alone, while state and local service delivery systems cannot manage their affairs effectively without assistance from the religious community; and

WHEREAS, there is widespread recognition by personnel in public agencies that needs cannot be met successfully without broad involvement from the religious community, while public officials are asking faith communities to contribute resources in ways that differ from before; and

WHEREAS, there are no quick fixes in solving poverty, adults out of the labor force for a long time; drug and alcohol addiction; and domestic violence; and

WHEREAS, the religious community can contribute to troubled youths emotional and psychological healing, self-worth, purpose, and relational connectedness; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2001, the Senate concurring, that this Legislature is requested to facilitate communication and partnerships for providing services to youths and adults, either voluntarily or through the mechanism of a formal contract for services, between Hawaii state government agencies serving youths and adults, either directly or through contractors, and members of the religious community; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Hawaii state government agencies serving youth and adults, either directly or through contractors, are encouraged to communicate with members of the religious community for the purpose of inviting the religious community to provide services to youths and adults, either voluntarily or through the mechanism of a formal contract-for-services; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that such voluntary and/or contractual services to youths and adults shall be rendered under the following guidelines:

(1) that faith-based services are free to weave religious messages into the social services they provide, as long as they have a separate, nongovernmental funding source for their proselytizing and refer clients who object to an alternative, nonreligious program; and

(2) Youths shall participate voluntarily and with the permission of custodial adults; and

(3) Faith-based services shall adhere to Federal and State laws; and

(4) No religious group shall be given preference, although the religious preference, ethnicity, socio-economic background, and community of the youths and adults, especially youths and adults disproportionately represented in the juvenile and adult justice system (s), shall be primary factors in soliciting religious resources; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Superintendent of Education, the Director of the Department of Health, the Director of the Department of Human Services, and the Director of the Department of Public Safety.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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