RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, recent neuroscience research demonstrates that a child's early years are the most crucial in the child's cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development; and

WHEREAS, there are tremendous opportunities for preventive work with children and families as well as predictable, costly consequences for not doing so; and

WHEREAS, quality early childhood education and child care that support all aspects of early development are crucial to ensuring that every child starts his or her formal education healthy, safe, and ready to learn and succeed; and

WHEREAS, this goal can be achieved by assuring that each child can hear, see, and speak at a minimum level prior to starting school; and

WHEREAS, early screening, identification, and intervention for developmental delays and psychosocial problems improve children's outcomes and have a critical influence on school success and family functioning; and

WHEREAS, the ideal is to provide each child with ongoing access to quality primary health care and, to the greatest extent possible, a safe home and community environment; and

WHEREAS, it is in the State's interest to provide developmental screening and assessment that will detect deficiencies and provide corrections before they hinder a child's ability to function in school; and

WHEREAS, the departments of Health, Education, and Human Services currently provide families access to various community health services; and

WHEREAS, parents are often unaware of or choose not to avail themselves of these services so their children do not receive proper screening, evaluation, and referrals for correction or treatment; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Director of Health is requested to convene a task force to determine a means for a child to be screened prior to the start of the child's education, at the child’s first entry into preschool and elementary school, to provide for diagnosis, referral, correction or treatment, and to integrate the efforts of community and state organizations related to screening under this Hawaii childhood screening initiative; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Health involve representatives of all relevant agencies and organizations, both public and private, in the development of the task force; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the purpose of the task force is to:

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of the task force include but not be limited to representatives from:

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of the task force serve without compensation but be reimbursed for necessary expenses, including travel expenses, incurred in the performance of their duties; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to:

(5) Evaluate compliance and appropriateness of referrals;

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to submit to the Legislature an annual report no later than 20 days before the start of each regular session, beginning with the Regular Session of 2007, on any recommended legislation necessary to implement the program; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Health, Director of Human Services, Superintendent of Education, Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii, Executive Director of the American Academy of Pediatrics – Hawaii Chapter, Executive Director of the Hawaii Academy of Family Physicians, Executive Director of the Hawaii Primary Care Association, Executive Director of Family Voices of Hawaii, Executive Director of the Hilopaa Project, Executive Director of the Healthy Childcare Hawaii Project, Executive Administrator of the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, and Chairperson of the Hawaii Early Intervention Coordinating Council.

Report Title:

Requesting The Director Of Health To Convene A Task Force; Childhood Developmental Screening