REPORT TITLE:
Approp.; Child Protection


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates funds for various programs and services for the
protection of children and families.  (SB175 HD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        175
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           S.D. 3
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND
   FAMILIES.


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

 1                              PART I
 
 2                 PURPOSE AND LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS
 
 3      SECTION 1.  During the interim of the regular session of
 
 4 1998, child protection legislative roundtable discussions and the
 
 5 joint legislative committee on early childhood education and care
 
 6 were convened to suggest statutory, guideline, rule, regulation,
 
 7 and other changes to strengthen Hawaii's families.  As an outcome
 
 8 of the roundtable and joint legislative committee, a
 
 9 comprehensive strategy composed of community-based programs to
 
10 prevent child abuse and maintain the integrity of the family unit
 
11 was designed.  Reflective of the phases of the family life cycle,
 
12 this approach provides children and parents with education and
 
13 support needed for healthy families.
 
14      The purpose of this Act is to ensure a continuum of services
 
15 to protect children and families from harmful health, social, and
 
16 educational outcomes.  These objectives can be met by preventing:
 
17      (1)  Child abuse before it occurs; and
 
18      (2)  The costly consequences of not developing a child's
 
19           cognitive, social, emotional, and developmental needs.
 

 
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 1      This Act seeks to:
 
 2      (1)  Prevent incidences of child deaths from abuse by
 
 3           continuing the implementation of the child death review
 
 4           teams;
 
 5      (2)  Beef up the State's child protection services system by
 
 6           establishing additional positions:
 
 7           (A)  In the family law division of the department of
 
 8                the attorney general to better administer and
 
 9                enforce the provisions of the state child
 
10                protective act; and
 
11           (B)  In the departments of health and human services to
 
12                implement the medical and health case management
 
13                system to prevent further child abuse and neglect
 
14                in the State;
 
15      (3)  Appropriate moneys to the Hawaii children's trust fund
 
16           for child abuse and neglect prevention services;
 
17      (4)  Ensure the continued operation of the Healthy Start
 
18           program for "at risk" families;
 
19      (5)  Increase funding for substance abuse treatment services
 
20           to assist pregnant women, mothers, and their families
 
21           involved in the child protective services system;
 
22      (6)  Establish additional neighborhood places to deliver
 
23           diversion services and child protective services to
 
24           targeted families;
 

 
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 1      (7)  Increase the pool of foster homes and adoptive homes
 
 2           for better matching of children in need of out-of-home
 
 3           care;
 
 4      (8)  Strengthen the quality of family foster care and
 
 5           adoptive services by providing a standardized and
 
 6           consistent framework for the competency-based training,
 
 7           preparation, and selection of foster parents and
 
 8           adoptive parents;
 
 9      (9)  Broaden the scope of the parent line and home reach to
 
10           properly service the needs of the community;
 
11     (10)  Effectuate a child care facilities grant fund to
 
12           provide capital for family child care homes and centers
 
13           that are licensed or seeking a license;
 
14     (11)  Increase the number of child care subsidies, pay
 
15           administrative expenses, and provide parent workshops
 
16           to recipients of child care subsidies in each county;
 
17     (12)  Expand the accreditation-mentor project for early
 
18           childhood programs;
 
19     (13)  Continue to develop and coordinate the quality of early
 
20           childhood education and care services through the Good
 
21           Beginnings Alliance;
 
22     (14)  Ensure that Hawaii's parents have access to adequate
 
23           family education programs;
 

 
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 1     (15)  Provide additional resources for developmental
 
 2           screening of children and committee referrals to
 
 3           identify and meet the needs of at-risk children before
 
 4           entering school;
 
 5     (16)  Provide child care for parenting teens so they can
 
 6           complete high school and pursue vocational training;
 
 7           and
 
 8     (17)  Subsidize the cost of obtaining a child development
 
 9           associate credential.
 
10                              PART II
 
11         DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURES
 
12      SECTION 2.  The legislature finds that section 321-341,
 
13 Hawaii Revised Statutes, permits the department of health to
 
14 conduct multidisciplinary and multiagency reviews of child deaths
 
15 to reduce the incidence of preventable child deaths.  The primary
 
16 intent of child death reviews is to gain a better understanding
 
17 about deaths resulting from, among other things, child abuse and
 
18 neglect.  An accurate understanding of the cause of death allows
 
19 for the creation of more effective and earlier prevention
 
20 policies to avoid future deaths of Hawaii's children and youth.
 
21 Prevention efforts which are based upon accurate data can be
 
22 evaluated to assure more effective outcomes for Hawaii's
 
23 children.
 

 
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 1      SECTION 3.  The department of health is authorized to
 
 2 establish and fill one and one-half permanent professional
 
 3 positions exempt from chapters 76 and 77, Hawaii Revised
 
 4 Statutes, to carry out the purposes of section 321-341, Hawaii
 
 5 Revised Statutes.
 
 6      SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 7 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        or so much
 
 8 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum
 
 9 of $        or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
 
10 year 2000-2001 for the establishment of one and one-half full
 
11 time equivalent (1.5 FTE) positions and operating expenses to
 
12 assure continuous implementation of the child death review teams.
 
13      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
14 health for the purposes of this part.
 
15                             PART III
 
16  DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURES
 
17      SECTION 5.  The purpose of this part is to appropriate funds
 
18 to establish and fill three permanent deputy attorney general
 
19 positions to carry out the purposes of chapter 587, Hawaii
 
20 Revised Statutes.
 
21      SECTION 6.  The department of the attorney general is
 
22 authorized to establish and fill three permanent deputy attorney
 
23 general positions exempt from chapters 76 and 77, Hawaii Revised
 

 
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 1 Statutes, to carry out the purposes of chapter 587, Hawaii
 
 2 Revised Statutes.
 
 3      SECTION 7.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 4 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        or so much
 
 5 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum
 
 6 of $        or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
 
 7 year 2000-2001 for the establishment of three full-time
 
 8 equivalent (3.00 FTE) permanent deputy attorney general positions
 
 9 for the family law division of the department of the attorney
 
10 general; provided that the department of human services shall
 
11 annually reimburse the department of the attorney general
 
12 $60,000, or thirty-three and one-third per cent of the total
 
13 appropriation, from federal funds.
 
14      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
15 the attorney general for the purposes of this part.
 
16                              PART IV
 
17             MEDICAL AND HEALTH CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
 
18      SECTION 8.  The legislature finds that medical case
 
19 management of child protective services children is complicated
 
20 and could be improved.  While child welfare services has amended
 
21 its procedures to comply with Act 134, Session Laws of Hawaii
 
22 1998, demands for service, examinations, communication, and
 
23 follow-up continue to increase.
 

 
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 1      The purpose of this part is to appropriate funds to
 
 2 establish a medical and health case management system.
 
 3      SECTION 9.  The department of human services is authorized
 
 4 to establish and fill one half-time equivalent (0.5 FTE)
 
 5 permanent physician position exempt from chapters 76 and 77,
 
 6 Hawaii Revised Statutes, to carry out sections 587-85 and 587-86,
 
 7 Hawaii Revised Statutes.
 
 8      SECTION 10.  There is appropriated out the general funds of
 
 9 the State of Hawaii the sum of $       or so much thereof as may
 
10 be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum of $       or
 
11 so much there of as may be necessary for fiscal year 2000-2001
 
12 for the establishment of one half-time equivalent (0.5 FTE)
 
13 permanent physician position for ongoing consultation and
 
14 forensic review of cases to prevent further child abuse and
 
15 neglect; provided that funds shall be allocated to a child
 
16 protection multidisciplinary team for the implementation of the
 
17 medical and health case management system.
 
18      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
19 human services for the purpose of this part.
 
20      SECTION 11.  There is appropriated out of the general funds
 
21 of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        or so much thereof as
 
22 may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum of
 
23 $        or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
 

 
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 1 2000-2001 to fill eleven vacant public health nursing positions
 
 2 within the department of health for the implementation of the
 
 3 medical and health case management system.
 
 4      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
 5 health for the purposes of this part.
 
 6                              PART V
 
 7                   HAWAII CHILDREN'S TRUST FUND
 
 8      SECTION 12.  The Hawaii children's trust fund, codified in
 
 9 chapter 350B, Hawaii Revised Statutes, was established in 1993 to
 
10 serve as a medium for a public-private partnership for family
 
11 strengthening to prevent child abuse and neglect.  The fund
 
12 provides grants to private, nonprofit organizations, public
 
13 agencies, or qualified persons to provide community-based
 
14 services and education designed to strengthen families and
 
15 prevent child abuse and neglect.  The fund also serves as a
 
16 mechanism to maximize financial resources for this endeavor by
 
17 serving as a repository for federal and state funds, as well as
 
18 private contributions from corporations and other businesses,
 
19 foundations, individuals, and other interested parties.
 
20      The purpose of this part is to appropriate funds to the
 
21 Hawaii children's trust fund for child abuse and neglect
 
22 prevention services.
 

 
 
 
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 1      SECTION 13.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 2 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          or so much
 
 3 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum
 
 4 of $          or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
 
 5 year 2000-2001 for the Hawaii children's trust fund, established
 
 6 under section 350B-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes.
 
 7      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
 8 health for the purposes of this part.
 
 9                              PART VI
 
10                           HEALTHY START
 
11      SECTION 14.  The legislature finds that the prevention of
 
12 child abuse and neglect of young children during their formative
 
13 years is imperative as research on early brain development
 
14 indicates that "by age three, a child who has been seriously
 
15 abused or neglected bears scars that are difficult, if not
 
16 impossible, to erase."
 
17      The legislature further finds that the Healthy Start program
 
18 has been an integral factor in mitigating the number of child
 
19 abuse cases in the State by providing intensive support to
 
20 at-risk families from the onset.  In fact, the rate of children
 
21 hospitalized for abuse and neglect on Oahu is four times higher
 
22 per thousand, among families who do not receive support from
 
23 Healthy Start.  However, the legislature also finds that funding
 

 
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 1 for Healthy Start has been reduced by thirty per cent, and a
 
 2 "sister program," Mother Infant Support Team, was cut entirely.
 
 3      The legislature recognizes the importance of funding
 
 4 programs that provide necessary services to children and their
 
 5 families.  Although hospital-based risk screening is proposed to
 
 6 be increased to reach all families of newborns, as part of the
 
 7 Felix consent decree, there is no provision for funds for
 
 8 services for families identified as at-risk through this process.
 
 9      The purpose of this part is to appropriate funds for
 
10 services for families identified as "at risk".
 
11      SECTION 15.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
12 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          or so much
 
13 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum
 
14 of $          or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
 
15 year 2000-2001 for the Healthy Start program for services for
 
16 families identified as "at-risk".
 
17      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
18 health for the purposes of this part.
 
19                             PART VII
 
20                SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT SERVICES
 
21        FOR PREGNANT AND PARENTING WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES
 
22      SECTION 16.  The legislature finds that families are the
 
23 foundation upon which our society is built.  Mothers, in
 

 
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 1 particular, have a profound influence as the ones responsible in
 
 2 large part for the development and growth of their children.
 
 3      Substance abuse can have a devastating effect on families,
 
 4 especially if the mother has a substance abuse problem.  A
 
 5 substance-abusing mother would not be able to discern whether a
 
 6 child is in need of protection from harm or abuse.  In fact, a
 
 7 substance-abusing mother may not even be aware that she is the
 
 8 one responsible for harming her own child.
 
 9      The purpose of this part is to increase funding for
 
10 substance abuse treatment services to assist pregnant women,
 
11 mothers, and their families involved in the child protective
 
12 services system.
 
13      SECTION 17.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
14 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        or so much
 
15 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum
 
16 of $        or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
 
17 year 2000-2001 to provide substance abuse treatment services for
 
18 pregnant and parenting women and their families through
 
19 department of human services functions and services.
 
20 Specifically, the following services shall be provided:
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 1      (1)  Comprehensive substance abuse
 
 2           treatment services, including six certified
 
 3           substance abuse counselors and training
 
 4           for program staff                              $       
 
 5      (2)  Assessments                                            
 
 6      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
 7 human services for the purposes of this part.
 
 8      SECTION 18.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 9 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          or so much
 
10 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum
 
11 of $          or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
 
12 year 2000-2001 to provide substance abuse treatment services for
 
13 pregnant and parenting women and their families through
 
14 department of health functions and services.  Specifically, the
 
15 following services shall be provided:
 
16      (1)  Babysafe                                       $       
 
17      (2)  Early intervention                                     
 
18      (3)  Treatment services, including
 
19           therapeutic living and intensive
 
20           outpatient treatment                                   
 
21      (4)  Special residential treatment
 
22           facility                                               
 

 
 
 
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 1      (5)  Unfunded beds                                          
 
 2      (6)  Maui intensive outpatient treatment
 
 3           programs                                               
 
 4      (7)  Oahu intensive outpatient treatment
 
 5           programs                                               
 
 6      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
 7 health for the purposes of this part.
 
 8                             PART VIII
 
 9                       BLUEPRINT FOR CHANGE
 
10      SECTION 19.  The legislature finds that one of the
 
11 recommendations of a 1994-1996 task force on child protective
 
12 services reform was to implement a community partnership for
 
13 child protection.  A major component of this partnership was to
 
14 be the establishment of the neighborhood place to deliver
 
15 diversion services and child protective services to targeted
 
16 families.
 
17      The neighborhood place provides a community-based center for
 
18 services and community support for abused or neglected children
 
19 and their families as well as for families at-risk of child
 
20 abuse.  Each neighborhood place has been patterned around the
 
21 needs of the specific community and has included a physical site
 
22 for these families to work with private and public service
 
23 providers.  A wide range of services and resources are available
 

 
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 1 from early response to continued services for families already
 
 2 facing problems.
 
 3      Limited start-up funding for neighborhood place sites in
 
 4 west Hawaii and Waipahu were obtained through local foundation
 
 5 grants and federal Title IVB moneys.  However, without continued
 
 6 funding for the pilot period, the neighborhood places will not be
 
 7 able to model the system reform that the task force and the
 
 8 legislature recommended.
 
 9      The purpose of this part is to appropriate funds to
 
10 establish additional neighborhood places.
 
11      SECTION 20.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
12 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        or so much
 
13 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum
 
14 of $        or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
 
15 year 2000-2001 for staffing and services for the neighborhood
 
16 places.
 
17      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
18 human services for the purposes of this part.
 
19                              PART IX
 
20                          FOSTER PARENTS
 
21      SECTION 21.  The department of human services is responsible
 
22 for ensuring that prospective foster and adoptive parents are
 
23 prepared for their new roles.  As such, the department is
 

 
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 1 responsible for administering a training program for all foster
 
 2 parents and adoptive parents seeking general certification or
 
 3 approval as parents.
 
 4      The legislature finds that the Foster PRIDE/Adopt PRIDE
 
 5 program is a competency-based, comprehensive pre-service training
 
 6 and assessment program for prospective foster and adoptive
 
 7 parents, which has been recognized by the department of human
 
 8 services.  This program can provide the basis for a training
 
 9 program for prospective foster and adoptive parents in the State.
 
10      The purpose of this part is to allow the department of human
 
11 services to contract with a provider to:
 
12      (1)  Increase the pool of foster homes and adoptive homes
 
13           for better matching of children in need of out-of-home
 
14           care; and
 
15      (2)  Strengthen the quality of family foster care and
 
16           adoptive services by providing a standardized,
 
17           consistent framework for the competency-based training,
 
18           preparation, and selection of foster parents and
 
19           adoptive parents.
 
20      SECTION 22.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
21 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much
 
22 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum
 
23 of $            or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
 
24 year 2000-2001 for:
 

 
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 1      (1)  Foster parent training for foster parents of licensed
 
 2           foster homes;
 
 3      (2)  Foster parent training for relative foster parents of
 
 4           special licensed foster homes; and
 
 5      (3)  Follow-up foster parent training for foster parents of
 
 6           licensed foster homes.
 
 7      SECTION 23.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 8 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $            or so
 
 9 much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and
 
10 the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for
 
11 fiscal year 2000-2001 to increase foster board payments for
 
12 children with special needs.
 
13      SECTION 24.  The sums appropriated shall be expended by the
 
14 department of human services for the purposes of this part.
 
15                              PART X
 
16                   PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES
 
17      SECTION 25.  The legislature finds that intervention
 
18 services is a key factor in preventing stressful situations in
 
19 the home from escalating to unmanagable proportions.  The
 
20 legislature finds that two programs--the parent line and home
 
21 reach--have been successful in providing a healthy outlet for
 
22 families to express their concerns and anger with regard to child
 
23 management, development, and behavior.  Both programs have been
 
24 successful in giving much-needed support and respite to families.
 

 
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 1      The parent line provides counseling, support, and community
 
 2 referrals to over four thousand parents and caregivers that have
 
 3 questions regarding their childrens' development and behavior.
 
 4 Home reach provides short-term home visitation to four hundred
 
 5 families identified through the parent line as being at risk for
 
 6 social, emotional, or behavioral programs.  Those persons using
 
 7 the services of the home reach program require family
 
 8 intervention beyond a phone call to resolve a family parenting
 
 9 concern or crisis.
 
10      The legislature finds that the parent line and home reach
 
11 are overburdened due to the increase in the number of clients
 
12 requiring their services.
 
13      The purpose of this part is to appropriate the necessary
 
14 funds to broaden the scope of the parent line and home reach to
 
15 properly service the needs of the community.
 
16      SECTION 26.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
17 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        or so much
 
18 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum
 
19 of $        or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
 
20 year 2000-2001 to increase the capacity of the parent line and
 
21 home reach services to properly service the needs of the
 
22 community.
 

 
 
 
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 1      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
 2 health for the purposes of this part.
 
 3                              PART XI
 
 4                 CHILD CARE FACILITIES GRANT FUND
 
 5      SECTION 27.  The legislature finds that one way to improve
 
 6 the quality of life of children is to increase the supply and
 
 7 quality of child care.  One indicator of increased supply and
 
 8 quality of care is an increase in the number of providers
 
 9 receiving licenses or accreditation.  One strategy to increase
 
10 licensing and accreditation is to help providers overcome the
 
11 financial obstacles to starting or expanding their child care
 
12 business.
 
13      The purpose of this part is to effectuate a child care
 
14 facilities grant fund to provide start-up or expansion capital to
 
15 family child care homes and centers that are licensed or are
 
16 seeking a license.
 
17      SECTION 28.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
18 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        or so much
 
19 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 to be paid
 
20 into the child care facilities grant fund established in S.B. No.
 
21 513, H.D. 1 (1999).
 
22      The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
23 human services for the purposes of this part.
 

 
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 1                             PART XII
 
 2                       CHILD CARE SUBSIDIES
 
 3      SECTION 29.  The legislature finds that one way to ensure
 
 4 that all children will be prepared for and succeed in school is
 
 5 to increase the ability of working parents to place their
 
 6 children in quality care.  Many working parents need financial
 
 7 assistance to pay for the full cost of quality early childhood
 
 8 education and care.
 
 9      The purpose of this part is to increase the number of child
 
10 care subsidies.
 
11      SECTION 30.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
12 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          or so much
 
13 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum
 
14 of $          or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
 
15 year 2000-2001 to increase the number of child care subsidies,
 
16 pay administrative expenses, and to provide parent workshops to
 
17 recipients of child care subsidies in each county, as follows:
 
18                                    FY 1999-2000       FY 2000-2001
 
19      City and county of Honolulu     $                   $
 
20      County of Maui                                     
 
21      County of Hawaii                                   
 
22      County of Kauai                                    
 
23 provided that:
 

 
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 1      (1)  Each county may allocate up to fifteen per cent of the
 
 2           sum appropriated for administrative expenses incurred
 
 3           in the disbursement of child care subsidies;
 
 4      (2)  Subsidies shall be granted to families with incomes up
 
 5           to eighty-five per cent of the state median income;
 
 6      (3)  The amount of each subsidy shall be based on family
 
 7           income on an inverse sliding scale, including a parent
 
 8           co-payment; and
 
 9      (4)  Receipt of a subsidy shall be contingent on applicant
 
10           families to attend a parent workshop.
 
11      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the appropriate
 
12 counties for the purposes of this part.
 
13                             PART XIII
 
14                   ACCREDITATION-MENTOR PROJECT
 
15      SECTION 31.  The legislature finds that another way to
 
16 ensure that every child will be prepared for and succeed in
 
17 school is to increase the number of accredited child care
 
18 programs.  An accredited program is acknowledged to be one that
 
19 places emphasis on the quality of interactions between teachers
 
20 and children, and the developmental appropriateness of the
 
21 curriculum.  Health and safety, staffing, staff qualifications,
 
22 physical environment, and administration are all reviewed during
 
23 the accreditation.
 

 
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 1      The legislature further finds that the accreditation
 
 2 mentoring of early childhood programs provides support for those
 
 3 interested in seeking accreditation, and develops mentoring and
 
 4 leadership skills among early childhood professionals.
 
 5      The purpose of this part is to expand the accreditation-
 
 6 mentor project for early childhood programs.
 
 7      SECTION 32.  There is appropriated out the general revenues
 
 8 of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        or so much thereof as
 
 9 may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum of
 
10 $        or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
 
11 2000-2001 to expand and continue the accreditation-mentor project
 
12 for early childhood programs, as follows:
 
13                                    FY 1999-2000       FY 2000-2001
 
14      City and county of Honolulu     $                  $
 
15      County of Maui                                     
 
16      County of Kauai                                    
 
17      County of Hawaii                                   
 
18      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the appropriate
 
19 counties for the purposes of this part.
 
20                             PART XIV
 
21                     GOOD BEGINNINGS ALLIANCE
 
22      SECTION 33.  The legislature finds that public and private
 
23 resources are needed to achieve the child outcomes adopted as
 

 
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 1 state policy in House Concurrent Resolution No. 38, 1998.  Act
 
 2 77, Session Laws of Hawaii 1997, acknowledged a performance
 
 3 partnership among government, the business community, the
 
 4 philanthropic sector, providers of quality care, and parents,
 
 5 known as the good beginnings alliance.
 
 6      The good beginnings alliance has been incorporated as a
 
 7 nonprofit entity that works through four good beginnings county
 
 8 councils and an interdepartmental council.  The good beginnings
 
 9 alliance partners work to implement strategies in good beginnings
 
10 county plans and in the state early childhood master plan that
 
11 support progress towards the child outcomes and key indicators
 
12 and benchmarks of those outcomes.
 
13      To continue the development and coordination of quality
 
14 early childhood education and care services, the legislature
 
15 finds that this public-private partnership requires public
 
16 funding to match the private funding acquired to date.
 
17      The purpose of this part is to continue coordination and
 
18 implementation of the good beginnings alliance initiative.
 
19      SECTION 34.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
20 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        or so much
 
21 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum
 
22 of $        or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
 
23 year 2000-2001 for the coordination and implementation of the
 

 
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 1 good beginnings alliance initiative, established under Act 77,
 
 2 Session Laws of Hawaii 1997; provided that funds shall be matched
 
 3 by private sources for the purpose for which these sums are
 
 4 appropriated.
 
 5      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
 6 human services for the purposes of this part.
 
 7                              PART XV
 
 8                         FAMILIES FOR REAL
 
 9      SECTION 35.  The legislature finds that support for a
 
10 child's healthy and educational development is critical when the
 
11 child is very young.  The best place to start is with the
 
12 empowerment of parents in their roles as parents and teachers in
 
13 the home.
 
14      Families for REAL (resources for early access to learning)
 
15 is a school-based family education program of courses and
 
16 activities for all families and their children from birth to five
 
17 years.  The program is based on Minnesota's family education
 
18 model which has proven to have a positive effect on parenting and
 
19 the well-being of children.  It recognizes that families provide
 
20 their children's first and most important learning environments,
 
21 and that parents are their children's first and most significant
 
22 teachers.  Participation by families is voluntary and services
 
23 are offered free.
 

 
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                                                        H.D. 1
                                                        

 
 1      Parents and their children attend age and developmentally
 
 2 appropriate classes once a week for nine weeks.  They share and
 
 3 learn critical parenting and teaching skills, network with each
 
 4 other, learn about community resources, and become aware of what
 
 5 they can do to nurture healthy children and to help children to
 
 6 learn.
 
 7      In addition to the program's regular courses, special
 
 8 interest classes are offered on such topics as stress management,
 
 9 building strong families, child development, sibling rivalry,
 
10 esteem, and language development.
 
11      The legislature further finds that in school year 1997-1998,
 
12 three sites, Pearl City Highlands, Kapunahala, and Wailuku
 
13 Elementary, provided direct services to four thousand seventy-
 
14 seven individuals.  The long-range plan is to have a total of
 
15 fourteen sites, one site per area served by each of the eleven
 
16 community schools for adults plus one site each on the islands of
 
17 Molokai and Lanai, and Kona, Hawaii.
 
18      The legislature further finds that this is a cost-effective
 
19 program based on the fact that the average cost-per-person served
 
20 is $108.  The legislature also finds that the program attracts
 
21 families from all socioeconomic backgrounds, that forty to fifty
 
22 per cent of the participant families are identified as families
 
23 at-risk, and that all the families have much to learn from and
 
24 with each other.
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           S.D. 3
                                                        H.D. 1
                                                        

 
 1      The purpose of this part is to appropriate funds to expand
 
 2 families for REAL.
 
 3      SECTION 36.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 4 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        or so much
 
 5 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 for the
 
 6 expansion of families for REAL to Kapalama, King Kamualii, Pearl
 
 7 Ridge, and Waiakea elementary schools, and the sum of $        or
 
 8 so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2000-2001 for
 
 9 the expansion of families for REAL to four additional school
 
10 sites.
 
11      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
12 education for the purposes of this part.
 
13                             PART XVI
 
14               KEIKI/FAMILY INTERACTIVE MOBILE UNITS
 
15      SECTION 37.  The legislature finds that for every child to
 
16 thrive physically and be prepared for and succeed in school,
 
17 there needs to be more opportunity for families with at-risk
 
18 children to receive infant and child monitoring, screening, and
 
19 additional community referrals to meet their needs before
 
20 entering public education programs.
 
21      One such opportunity is the keiki/family interactive mobile
 
22 units that provide an easily accessible early education and
 
23 intervention service to families with children from birth to five
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           S.D. 3
                                                        H.D. 1
                                                        

 
 1 years of age.  The program supports the parent as a child's first
 
 2 teacher and brings age appropriate activities to neighborhood
 
 3 parks or other accessible sites, facilitating bonding,
 
 4 communication skills, normal growth and development, and
 
 5 cognitive stimulation.  Parent education activities are included
 
 6 as well.
 
 7      The program provides a nonthreatening, culturally relevant,
 
 8 learning environment for at-risk children from birth to five
 
 9 years of age and their parents through which screening and
 
10 appropriate community referrals can be made for health,
 
11 nutrition, education, parenting skills, and psychological needs.
 
12      Although these units were contracted to provide direct
 
13 service to four hundred individuals during 1997-1998, by the
 
14 completion of the year, a total of one thousand one hundred
 
15 forty-seven (three hundred fifty-eight adults and seven hundred
 
16 eighty-nine children) were served, demonstrating the need for the
 
17 program.  Presently, the keiki/family interactive mobile units
 
18 are offering services to select areas of need across the State
 
19 focusing on homeless, isolated, or rural families as a priority.
 
20 Those locations are as follows:
 
21      (1)  Island of Kauai:       Koloa;
 
22      (2)  Island of Oahu:        Wahiawa, Makiki, Loliana
 
23                                  Transitional Housing, Maililand
 
24                                  Transitional Housing, and
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           S.D. 3
                                                        H.D. 1
                                                        

 
 1                                  Weinberg Transitional Housing
 
 2                                  Waimanalo;
 
 3      (3)  Island of Lanai:       Lanai City;
 
 4      (4)  Island of Maui:        Harbor Lights Housing, Malama
 
 5                                  Recovery Center, and Lahaina;
 
 6      (5)  Island of Hawaii:      Hilo Emergency Shelter, and
 
 7                                  Kawaihae Transitional Housing.
 
 8      The legislature further finds that an increase in funding
 
 9 will provide additional families the opportunity to participate
 
10 in the keiki/family interactive mobile unit services at the
 
11 following sites:
 
12      (1)  Island of Kauai:       Kapaa;
 
13      (2)  Island of Oahu:        Kalihi/Palama/Liliha, Institute
 
14                                  for Human Services, North Shore,
 
15                                  Makaha, Kailua, and Waianae;
 
16      (3)  Island of Maui:        Wailuku;
 
17      (4)  Island of Molokai:     One site;
 
18      (5)  Island of Hawaii:      Pahoa, Hilo, and Kona.
 
19      The legislature further finds that the increase in service
 
20 delivery would also provide additional resources for
 
21 developmental screening of children as well as community
 
22 referrals to identify and meet the needs of at-risk children
 
23 before entering the department of education.  Through these added
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           S.D. 3
                                                        H.D. 1
                                                        

 
 1 funds, collaboration with agencies such as the good beginnings
 
 2 alliance could be increased.
 
 3      The purpose of this part is to increase the capacity of the
 
 4 keiki/family interactive mobile units.
 
 5      SECTION 38.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 6 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        or so much
 
 7 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum
 
 8 of $       or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
 
 9 2000-2001 to increase the capacity of the keiki/family
 
10 interactive mobile units.
 
11      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
12 health for the purposes of this part.
 
13                             PART XVII
 
14                  CHILD CARE FOR PARENTING TEENS
 
15      SECTION 39.  The legislature finds that earning a high
 
16 school degree is one of the key factors which can assist teen
 
17 parents and their families to become self-sufficient, create
 
18 opportunities for themselves and their children, and maximize
 
19 their life potential.  The support needed to assist teen parents
 
20 to complete high school is cost effective in the long run -- for
 
21 every teen who is able to become self-sufficient, over $20,000
 
22 annually in welfare benefits are saved.
 

 
 
 
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                                     S.B. NO.           S.D. 3
                                                        H.D. 1
                                                        

 
 1      The legislature further finds that access to child care is a
 
 2 systemic barrier that prevents many teen mothers and some teen
 
 3 fathers who have not completed high school from going to school.
 
 4 In Hawaii, teen pregnancy affects approximately one thousand
 
 5 eight hundred fifty teens age twelve through eighteen each year,
 
 6 of which over approximately one thousand one hundred fifty result
 
 7 in live births.  It is estimated that up to four hundred
 
 8 parenting students who have not finished high school may need
 
 9 assistance with child care.
 
10      The purpose of this part is to provide child care for
 
11 parenting teens so they may complete high school and pursue
 
12 vocational training.
 
13      SECTION 40.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
14 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          or so much
 
15 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum
 
16 of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
 
17 year 2000-2001 for child care for parenting teens.
 
18      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
19 education for the purposes of this part.
 
20                            PART XVIII
 
21              CHILD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE CREDENTIAL
 
22      SECTION 41.  There is a national effort for child care
 
23 providers both in family-care settings and center-based settings
 
24 to be minimally qualified to work with children from birth
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           S.D. 3
                                                        H.D. 1
                                                        

 
 1 through age five years.  Caregivers must demonstrate their
 
 2 ability to nurture children's physical, social, emotional, and
 
 3 intellectual growth in a child development framework.  The proof
 
 4 of their competence is the child development associate
 
 5 credential.
 
 6      The legislature finds that approximately one hundred
 
 7 individuals are estimated to need financial assistance in
 
 8 obtaining their child development associate credential.  Current
 
 9 cost for the application packet and assessment for credentialing
 
10 is $350 per person.  This is a minimal cost as there may be other
 
11 requirements that must be met, depending on the applicant's
 
12 readiness, training, and experience.
 
13      The purpose of this part is to subsidize the cost of
 
14 obtaining a child development associate credential.
 
15      SECTION 42.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
16 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $       or so much
 
17 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum
 
18 of $       or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
 
19 2000-2001 to provide financial assistance in attaining a child
 
20 development associate credential.
 
21      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
22 human services for the purposes of the part.
 
23                             PART XIX
 
24      SECTION 43.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.
 
25 New statutory material is underscored.
 
26      SECTION 44.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.