STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1229

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: S.B. No. 1052
                                     S.D. 1
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was
referred S.B. No. 1052, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to:

     (1)  Extend the sunset date for the Child Protective
          Services Reform Coordinating Committee (Committee) from
          June 30, 1999, to June 30, 2002;

     (2)  Exempts the Committee's operations from public hearing
          requirements; and

     (3)  Permits the Committee to share information with the
          Neighborhood Places, subject to confidentiality
          requirements.

     The Department of Human Services (DHS), the Office of Youth
Services, and Blueprint for Change testified in support of this
measure.  The Hawaii Government Employees Association testified
in opposition to this measure.  The Office of Information
commented upon this measure.


 
 
 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1229
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     Your Committee has amended this measure by adding provisions
previously heard by your Committee in HB274, HB1117, and HB1537:

     (1)  Requiring that operators of foster boarding homes
          successfully complete foster parent training;

     (2)  Requiring the DHS to inform the appropriate police
          department or office of the prosecuting attorney of all
          reports received of child abuse or neglect;

     (3)  Requiring a police officer to assume protective custody
          of a child without a court order or the consent of the
          family if there is evidence that a parent or guardian
          has subjected the child to or threatened harm and is
          likely to flee the jurisdiction of the court with the
          child;

     (4)  Requiring the Department of Commerce and Consumer
          Affairs (DCCA) to adopt rules for the training and
          licensing of guardians ad litem;

     (5)  Requiring guardians ad litem for children to meet DCCA
          standards; 

     (6)  Providing a penalty for violations;

     (7)  Amending the Child Protective Act by:

          (a)  Requiring the court to set a child protection case
               for a show cause hearing within 30 days of a
               review hearing in which it is determined that
               aggravated circumstances are present;

          (b)  Providing that if the child has been residing
               outside the family home for 12 consecutive months
               a show cause hearing date shall be set and the
               burden shall be on the family to present evidence
               as to why the case should not proceed to a
               permanent plan hearing; and

          (c)  Requiring the DHS to file a  motion to set a
               permanent plan hearing if the child has been
               residing outside the family home for an aggregate
               of 15 of the most recent 22 months, except in
               specified circumstances;

and


 
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     (8)  Requiring the DHS to establish a medical and health
          case management procedure for children in foster care
          which:

          (a)  Establishes a continuum of services;

          (b)  Maintains a medical home for continuity of care;

          (c)  Maximizes existing resources for medical and
               health services for foster children; and

          (d)  Researches enhancement of federal reimbursement
               for care coordination services for foster care
               children.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Human Services and Housing that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 1052, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that
it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No.
1052, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on
Finance.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair