Report Title:

Appropriation for Services for Sexually Abused Children

Description:

Appropriates funds for treatment services for child victims of intrafamilial sexual abuse and their families who are not serviced by the Child Protective Services division of the Department of Human Services. (SB964 HD1)

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

964

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

H.D. 1


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR treatment services for child victims of intrafamilial sexual abuse.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that intrafamilial child sexual abuse is a traumatic event for families, with long-lasting effects on the child victim, siblings, and protective parents. Treatment services are essential to promote the healing and psychological health of children and families who have suffered the devastation of child sexual abuse.

The legislature further finds that many families do not have access to treatment or are provided insufficient treatment to resolve the abusive incident and ensure restoration of psychological health of the victim and the family. These families do not fall within the child protective services system of the department of human services and are not eligible to receive the treatment services provided by that system.

The purpose of this Act is to make an appropriation to provide sex abuse treatment, including psychological treatment and case management services for child victims of intrafamilial sexual abuse and their families who are not a part of the child protective services system.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2004-2005 to provide treatment services for child victims of intrafamilial sexual abuse, including psychological treatment and case management services for child victims and their families who are not covered under the child protective services system of the department of human services.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2003.