Appropriates $          for the Healthy Start program.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. Child abuse and neglect causes mental health problems in children and is one of the most critical health issues for the State. Cases of child abuse have escalated in numbers and severity, with the most severe cases in the younger than five population. The Roundtable on Child Protective Services has met to develop solutions, such as providing support for the principles of the Healthy Start program.

Healthy Start has had demonstrated success since its inception in 1985. Healthy Start is engaged in the prevention of child abuse and neglect through early intervention with family support, parenting education, and informal counseling services. Providing these kinds of interventions from birth for families at risk has proven to be effective and cost effective in prevention of child abuse and neglect. Of the thousands of high-risk families served by the program over the past fourteen years, ninety-nine per cent have not been involved in confirmed child abuse, and ninety-seven per cent have not been involved in child neglect over those years.

There is a critical and continuing need for Healthy Start. Risk profiles of the State's population, as identified through hospital screening processes, indicate a twenty to thirty per cent increase in risk rates for child abuse and neglect among families in the State since 1985, and an increase in families with multiple serious risk factors such as substance abuse, domestic violence, and mental health problems.

Because there are more high-risk families with multiple serious problems, Healthy Start needs the professional capacity to assess and address the needs of these families in addition to providing basic home visiting services of lay workers.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate moneys for the operating expenses of Healthy Start.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2002-2003, to carry out the purposes of this Act, including the hiring of necessary staff.

SECTION 3. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.