Report Title:
Child Welfare Services; Policy Committee
Description:
Creates the Hawaii State Policy Committee for the Safety of Children to address child abuse issues.
THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
888 |
TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The child protective services reform coordinating committee (committee), a group of representatives from the public, private, and community agencies interested in child safety issues, was formed pursuant to Act 302, Session Laws of Hawaii 1996 (Act 302), to review requests for proposals for a neighborhood place demonstration project (neighborhood places) and select sites for the neighborhood place, among other things. The committee also served as an interagency committee to develop and implement systemic changes and training programs, and to coordinate financial resource funding. The neighborhood places program (blueprint for change) was also created by Act 302, to address child abuse issues.
Act 117, Session Laws of Hawaii 1999, made clarifying amendments to Act 302, and repealed Act 302 as of June 30, 2002. To continue the effective work of the committee, this Act creates the Hawaii state policy committee for the safety of children (policy committee). The policy committee takes the neighborhood places program to the next level by evaluating and making recommendations regarding child abuse services, including planning, restructuring, and coordination of child abuse services.
The purpose of this Act is to create the Hawaii State policy committee for the safety of children.
SECTION 2. Chapter 350B, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§350B- Hawaii state policy committee for the safety of children; established. (a) There is established the Hawaii state policy committee for the safety of children, to be attached to the department of human services for administrative purposes only; provided that the Hawaii Community Foundation, in its capacity as administrator of the Hawaii children's trust fund under section 350B-2, shall assume the administrative support functions from the department of human services at the earliest possible date when the foundation is able to do so, pursuant to section 350B-2(c), relating to the purpose of the trust fund.
(b) Membership of the Hawaii state policy committee for the safety of children shall include:
(1) Director of human services, ex officio, to serve as the chair;
(2) Director of health, ex officio, or designee;
(3) Superintendent of education, ex officio, or designee;
(4) Executive director of the office of youth services, ex officio, or designee;
(5) One family court representative;
(6) One blueprint for change representative;
(7) One representative from each neighborhood place;
(8) One representative of the alliance for health and human services;
(9) One representative from a community service organization, with experience in child welfare services;
(10) One representative from the department of human services, child protection services unit supervisor;
(11) Two representatives from the department of human services, child protection services unit line staff;
(12) One member of the senate, selected by the president of the senate;
(13) One member of the house of representatives, selected by the speaker of the house;
(14) Director of public safety, ex officio, or representative;
(15) One member from a state child abuse and neglect (CAN) comprehensive contractor;
(16) One representative from a child abuse diversion services contractor;
(17) One representative from the Hawaii children's trust fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation;
(18) One representative from the friends of foster care;
(19) One representative from an adoption agency;
(20) One representative from the substance abuse coalition;
(21) One representative from the behavioral health coalition;
(22) One representative from the family center; and
(23) Two at-large representatives from the general public.
Members representing private organizations shall be appointed by the governor. The private members of the committee shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for travel and other expenses related to the performance of their duties and shall be subject to section 26-34.
(c) The Hawaii State policy committee for the safety of children shall:
(1) Facilitate public, private, and community agency discussions concerning child abuse and neglect;
(2) Promote positive systemic changes in the spectrum of child welfare services, from prevention to reunification or permanency; and
(3) Facilitate the coordination of a continuum of care to assure there are adequate resources in such areas as substance abuse, homelessness, and economic self-sufficiency, as these issues affect child abuse and neglect.
(d) The Hawaii state policy committee for the safety of children shall submit to the legislature an annual report of its activities and any recommendations, no later than twenty days before the convening of each regular session, beginning with the regular session of 2005."
SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
INTRODUCED BY: |
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