REPORT TITLE:
Early childhood


DESCRIPTION:
Provides a means for early childhood screening when a child
reaches the age of three.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        2112
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO EARLY CHILDHOOD.



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

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that recent neuroscience
 
 2 research demonstrates that a child's early years are the most
 
 3 crucial in the child's cognitive, emotional, social, and physical
 
 4 development.  The legislature affirms that there are tremendous
 
 5 opportunities for preventive work with children and families as
 
 6 well as the predictable, costly consequences of not doing so.
 
 7 The legislature further finds that quality early childhood
 
 8 education and child care that support all aspects of early
 
 9 development by parents and caregivers in a variety of settings,
 
10 including child care centers, family child care, and in the homes
 
11 of families and friends, are crucial to ensuring that every young
 
12 child has a good beginning and maximizes the potential with which
 
13 the child was born.
 
14      In 1998, the legislature adopted House Concurrent Resolution
 
15 No. 38 that endorsed six desired child outcomes as state policy
 
16 and encouraged private and public agencies serving children to
 
17 use these outcomes as a basis for policy and program development.
 
18 This common set of outcomes focuses on action and accountability
 
19 toward achieving positive results.  This can be achieved by
 
20 improving the quality of life for children and youth and
 

 
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 1 establishing indicators to measure progress in achieving these
 
 2 outcomes.  These six child outcomes are:
 
 3      (1)  Every child will thrive physically--to be healthy from
 
 4           birth with ongoing access to good health care, and have
 
 5           a safe home, school, and community environment;
 
 6      (2)  Every child will form positive relationships--to have
 
 7           the attention of at least one caring adult and
 
 8           supportive friendship with peers;
 
 9      (3)  Every child will be prepared for and succeed in
 
10           school--to have developmentally nurturing care and
 
11           early education opportunities, meet age-appropriate
 
12           knowledge and competencies, and graduate from high
 
13           school;
 
14      (4)  Every child will be culturally aware and appreciative
 
15           of diversity;
 
16      (5)  Every child and youth will choose responsible
 
17           behaviors--to exhibit respect for oneself, others of
 
18           every age, and society by refraining from drug use and
 
19           from sexual and illegal activity; and
 
20      (6)  Every youth will develop marketable skills enabling a
 
21           successful transition into adulthood.
 
22      The legislature finds that as public and private agencies
 
23 address the third outcome, many facets of the early childhood
 

 
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 1 system are affected.  These fall into the overlapping areas of
 
 2 health, education, and social services that support the family
 
 3 and the child.
 
 4      The legislature further finds that for every $1 invested in
 
 5 early childhood education and care and early intervention
 
 6 services for children from birth to five years of age, it is
 
 7 estimated that $7 in later remediation and special education
 
 8 services may be saved.
 
 9      The legislature further finds that early screening,
 
10 identification, and intervention for developmental delays and
 
11 psychosocial problems improve children's outcomes and have a
 
12 critical influence on school success and family functioning.  The
 
13 state departments of health, education, and human services
 
14 currently provide community health services and education for
 
15 screening and assessment.  However, parents are unaware of or
 
16 choose not to participate in these services.  Meanwhile, their
 
17 children do not receive proper screening, evaluation, and if
 
18 indicated, referrals and treatment.
 
19      The purpose of this Act is to provide a means for early
 
20 childhood screening when a child reaches the age of three.
 
21      SECTION 2.  Chapter 321, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
22 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
 
23 read as follows:
 

 
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 1      "§321-     Early childhood screenings.  (a)  Within ninety
 
 2 days prior to and ninety days following a child's third birthday,
 
 3 the parents or guardians of a child may have the child screened
 
 4 for psychological and physiological development.  Screening and
 
 5 certification of screening may be provided by:
 
 6      (1)  The department of health;
 
 7      (2)  The department of education;
 
 8      (3)  The department of human services;
 
 9      (4)  The child's pediatrician; or
 
10      (5)  Any primary health care provider.
 
11      (b)  As part of the screening and certification process
 
12 authorized by subsection (a), the department, physician, or
 
13 provider may:
 
14      (1)  Provide information and referrals to programs and
 
15           services to help remediate any developmental problems
 
16           as revealed by the screening;
 
17      (2)  Inform the parent and guardian of their
 
18           responsibilities to ensure that the child's
 
19           psychological and physiological development is
 
20           progressing satisfactorily;
 
21      (3)  Provide assistance and advice to parents and guardians
 
22           in meeting those responsibilities;
 
23      (4)  Provide additional screenings or referrals as deemed
 
24           necessary; and
 

 
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 1      (5)  Use a standardized screening instrument and referral
 
 2           protocol as jointly developed by the departments of
 
 3           health, education, and human services, and the American
 
 4           Academy of Pediatrics."
 
 5      SECTION 3.  (a)  The departments of health, education, and
 
 6 human services, in conjunction with the American Academy of
 
 7 Pediatrics, shall plan and develop:
 
 8      (1)  Standardized screening for the psychological and
 
 9           physiological development of a three-year old child,
 
10           which includes but is not limited to:
 
11           (A)  Cognitive development;
 
12           (B)  Language development;
 
13           (C)  Motor development; and
 
14           (D)  Behavioral or social-emotional development;
 
15           and
 
16      (2)  A referral protocol.
 
17      (b)  The standardized screening and referral protocol shall
 
18 be developed by June 30, 2001.
 
19      SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
20      SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
 
21 
 
22                         INTRODUCED BY:___________________________