HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	188
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

CALLING ON THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO convene a task force TO establish a protocol and training program for FIRST RESPONDERS IN CHILD PROTECTIVE AWARENESS SKILLS.

     WHEREAS, according to Prevent Child Abuse Hawaii, nearly 6,000 suspected cases of child abuse are reported in Hawaii each year; and

     WHEREAS, child abuse can take the form of physical injury, sexual abuse, neglect, and emotional maltreatment; and

     WHEREAS, first responders including police officers, members of the fire department, and emergency medical personnel have the unique duty of responding to a wide variety of situations in which children may be found who are the victims of or who are at risk for child abuse; and

     WHEREAS, all first responders must be able to identify children who may be victims or who are at risk for abuse in order to be prepared to set the proper protective protocols in motion; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Human Services shall convene a task force to establish protocols and training programs for first responders, including the county police departments, the sheriffs and other law enforcement agencies, the fire department, and emergency medical personnel, to use when coming into contact with children who may be victims of or who are at risk for child abuse; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that such training and protocols may include a mechanism through which confidential information from child protective services may be accessed by a first responder if necessary and appropriate to ensure a child's safety and well-being; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that such training and protocols shall be developed in collaboration with the respective first responder groups; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Human Services shall report back to the Legislature on the status of development and implementation of the protocols and training programs no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2009, and each year thereafter for three years; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Director of Health, the Director of Human Services, the Administrator of Child Protective Services, the Chief of Police of each county, the state Sheriff, the Fire Chief of each county, the Chief of the Harbor Police, and the Director of the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Task Force; Protocols; First Response; Child Protective Services