STAND. COM. REP. NO.14

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 971

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 971 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR FOSTER CHILDREN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to increase the capacity to provide services for children residing in foster or group homes with social and behavioral needs, who are not eligible for Department of Health foster care homes.

Testimony in support of the intent of this measure was submitted by the Department of Human Services.

According to the Department of Human Services, there are currently about 280 children between the ages of 2 and 18 who require specialized foster care services. Many have been sexually abused or have multiple behavioral issues, and as a result, they cannot reside in regular foster homes. However, since these children do not qualify as Felix children, they are unable to access services through the Department of Health. Moreover, the foster and group home operators also require training and support to provide an appropriate environment for these children with special needs.

Although there are on-going discussions between the Department of Human Services and the Department of Health regarding alternative approaches to providing necessary services to this class of children and the foster and group home operators who care for them, your Committee is unaware of any definite plans or timelines for implementing services for this group. Accordingly, your Committee is reporting this measure out to facilitate further discussion of the issue.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 971 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair