Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2725 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for Hawaii's Healthy Start program to continue to serve and support high-risk families.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, the Department of Human Services, Parents and Children Together, Hawaii Family Support Institute, Maui Family Support Services, and Catholic Charities Hawaii.

Your Committees find that the Healthy Start program offers necessary family support services. The program identifies high-risk families before abuse or neglect can begin and provides home visits and needed services. Your Committees further find that this appropriation will enable the Healthy Start program to continue its successful mission of optimizing each child's development during their critical early years.

Your Committees amended this measure to include the appropriation amount of $2,946,847, as suggested by the Department of Health.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2725, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2725, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.