STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2032

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2446
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred S.B. No. 2446 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE PROTECTION
     OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to make various
appropriations for the protection of children and families.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Department of Human Services, Department of Health,
Attorney General, Children's Trust Fund Committee, Prevent Child
Abuse Hawaii, Hawaii Community Foundation, Good Beginnings
Alliance, and a private individual.

     This measure appropriates unspecified amounts for:

     (1)  Establishment of one and one-half full time equivalent
          (FTE) positions for child death review teams;

     (2)  Establishment of three FTE positions for deputy
          attorney generals and support staff for the family law
          division;

     (3)  Establishment of one half-time position for a permanent
          physician position for consultation and forensic
          review;


 
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     (4)  Filling eleven vacant public health nursing positions
          to implement the medical and health care management
          system;

     (5)  The Hawaii Children's Trust Fund;

     (6)  Health Start program for families identified as "at
          risk";

     (7)  Substance abuse treatment services for pregnant and
          parenting women and their families through the
          Department of Human Services;

     (8)  Substance abuse treatment services for pregnant and
          parenting women and their families through the
          Department of Health;

     (9)  Neighborhood Places program;

     (10) Increasing foster board payments for children with
          special needs; and

     (11) Increasing the capacity of the Parent Line and Home
          Reach programs.

     This measure is intended to ensure that a continuum of
services for the prevention of child abuse is available.  Your
Committee is committed to preventing child abuse before it
occurs.  Since child abuse is a complex problem with a multitude
of causes, Hawaii's response to prevention must respond to a
range of needs.

     During the interim of the regular session of 1998, child
protection legislative roundtable discussions were convened to
suggest statutory, guideline, rule, regulation, and other changes
to improve Hawaii's child protective system.  Legislators, the
departments of human services, health, and the attorney general,
the judiciary, private nonprofit child and family serving
agencies, and concerned individuals communicated and collaborated
with one another, on behalf of abused and neglected children and
their families, to develop formal and informal mechanisms for
working together.

     As a coordinated response, the roundtable cohesively
designed a comprehensive strategy comprised of community-based
programs to prevent child abuse.  Reflective of the phases of the
family life cycle, the approach provides children and parents
with the education and support necessary for healthy family
functioning.

 
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     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying the purpose of the attorney general's
          appropriation for administrative expenses;

     (2)  Changing the references in the title of Part IV and in
          sections 10, 11, and 12 to the medical/health case
          management system to consultant medical services and
          clarifying the purpose of that appropriation;

     (3)  Changing the appropriation for a permanent physician
          position to establishing procedures for meeting the
          health needs of foster children, including using
          contracting for consultant medical services;

     (4)  Changing the expending agency from the Department of
          Human Services to the Department of Health for the
          appropriations for substance abuse treatment services;

     (5)  Clarifying that the appropriation for the Blueprint for
          Change is to maintain and develop the two neighborhood
          places that currently exist; and

     (6)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for
          purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 2446, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2446,
S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
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