HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

THE TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE

INTERIM OF 2010

COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

Rep. John M. Mizuno, Chair

Rep. Tom Brower, Vice Chair

Rep. Della Au Belatti	Rep. Maile S.L. Shimabukuro
Rep. Joe Bertram, III	Rep. Ryan I. Yamane
Rep. Mele Carroll	Rep. Gene Ward
Rep. Scott Y. Nishimoto

NOTICE OF INFORMATIONAL BRIEFING

DATE:	Friday, November 05, 2010
TIME:	1:00 p.m.
PLACE:	Conference Room 309 State Capitol 415 South Beretania Street

A G E N D A

The purpose of  this informational briefing is to discuss the concerns with foster care.  The briefing will review the foster care system and review "best practices" and solutions for foster youth who "age out" and therefore are no longer entitled to services which may be vital in the transition process.

This briefing comes in the wake of a foster youth, Erwin Viado Celes, who had been in foster care for 14 years, however, after aging out, with no place to live, Celes hanged himself on September 7, 2010 in Hawaii Kai, after bouncing from homes in Waianae, Mililani and Waipahu.

At the conclusion of the briefing, the Chair of the House Human Services Committee will summarize the suggested solutions ascertained from this briefing to better address transitional services for Hawaii's foster youth who will be aging out of critical support services.  The Committee Chair may also identify future legislation aimed at eliminating major flaws in the foster care system to ensure proper transition for Hawaii's foster youth and a better support system for the foster parents and agencies advocating for foster youth.

The following organizations have been invited to participate in this briefing:

State Department of Human Services

Child Protective Services (DHS)

Honolulu Police Department (HPD)

Adult Foster Homes

Foster Youth

Foster Youth Advocates and Organizations

Other individuals or organizations related to foster youth.

If you require special assistance or auxiliary aids and/or services to participate in the informational briefing  (i.e., sign language interpreter or wheelchair accessibility), please contact the Committee Clerk at 586-6050 to make a request for arrangements at least 24 hours prior to the briefing.  Prompt requests help to ensure the availability of qualified individuals and appropriate accommodations.

Only testimony from people on the testifiers list will be accepted.

Persons on the testifiers list wishing to offer comments should submit testimony at least 24 hours prior to the hearing with a transmittal cover indicating:

· Testifier's name with position/title and organization;

· The Committee the comments are directed to;

· The date and time of the hearing or briefing;

· Measure number if applicable; and

· The number of copies the Committee is requesting. 

While every effort will be made to copy, organize, and collate all testimony received, materials received on the day of the hearing/briefing or improperly identified or directed to the incorrect office, may be distributed to the Committee after the hearing.

Submit testimony in ONE of the following ways:

PAPER: One copy (including an original) to Room 315 in the State Capitol;

FAX:     For comments less than 5 pages in length, transmit to 586-8524 (Oahu) or 1-800-535-3859 (Neighbor Islands); or

EMAIL: For comments less than 5 pages in length, transmit to HUStestimony@Capitol.hawaii.gov.

Testimony submitted will be placed on the Legislative Web site after the hearing adjourns.  This public posting of testimony on the Web site should be considered when including personal information in your testimony.

For further information, please call the Committee Clerk at 586-6050.

__________________________________

Rep.  John M. Mizuno

Chair

APPROVED

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Rep. Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker of the House