WHEREAS, instances of substance abuse, bullying, gang activity, violence, and disrespect for authority have reached alarming proportions in Hawaii's elementary, middle, and high schools; and

WHEREAS, school administrators, personnel, and support staff struggle to maintain workloads and achieve standards that focus only on educational goals; and

WHEREAS, the Student Future Awareness Program educates students about the consequences of negative involvement with gangs, violence, and drugs; and

WHEREAS, the program teaches students the links between issues that include: negative peer pressure, drug use, gang violence, sexuality, runaways, and youth living on the streets; and

WHEREAS, the program assists students with choosing alternate strategies to deal with negative peer pressure, home problems, and school stress by encouraging them to make decisions that lead to positive recognition and enhanced acceptance among their peers and community members; and

WHEREAS, the program honors students' freedom to make life choices that will result in positive outcomes and will help them to become law-abiding, successful citizens; and

WHEREAS, the Student Future Awareness Program proposes to bring its program to all students at the elementary, middle, and high school grade levels; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Health provides education, outreach, and awareness to school-age youth on drug abstinence, sexually transmitted diseases, cessation of tobacco use, and healthy lifestyles; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Human Services provides training, education, and public awareness programs affecting the capacity of Hawaii youth to be productive members of society; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, that the Department of Education, Department of Health, and Department of Human Services, are requested to implement a public-private partnership pilot project with the Student Future Awareness Program to provide early intervention services to minimize drug use, gang activity, and violence among Hawaii's school-age youth; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public-private partnership pilot project is requested to adopt the goal of providing services to all elementary, middle, and high school students on the island of Oahu within the 2006-2007 school year; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education, Department of Health, Department of Human Services, and the Future Student Awareness Program are requested to submit a report on the status of the pilot project, including proposed legislation, if any, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2008; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Education, the Superintendent of Education, the Director of Health, the Director of Human Services, and the Executive Director of the Student Future Awareness Program.

Report Title:

Education; Youth Programs; Student Future Awareness Program