Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 85 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to request the Auditor to conduct a program audit of the child protective services system including the Child Protective Services (CPS) division of the Department of Human Services (DHS), Department of the Attorney General, family courts, and the police departments of each county.

Numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this measure. DHS supported the intent of this measure. The Hawaii Government Employees Association commented.

Your Committee finds that there are an unusually large number of individuals with complaints about CPS and allegations that children were removed from homes without good reason or evidence of abuse. Additionally, there are allegations that children taken from their parents are physically abused by foster parents. Parents whose children were taken away by CPS testified that even though their children were returned to them after a period of time, their children are still emotionally scarred from the experience. Your Committee is very concerned about this situation and believes a thorough review of the child protective services system is necessary.

Upon consideration, your Committee has amended this concurrent resolution by:

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 85, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance, in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 85, H.D. 1.