STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3127

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2277

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2277, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to ensure the safety and well-being of at-risk children and families in east Hawaii on Hawaii island by:

(1) Establishing a five-year pilot project within the Department of Human Services that limits the number of children supervised by each East Hawaii Child Welfare Services Section social worker to twenty or fewer; and

(2) Appropriating funds for eight full-time equivalent case managers and fifteen full-time equivalent support staff positions in the East Hawaii Child Welfare Services Section on Hawaii island.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services; Office of the Mayor, County of Hawai‘i; Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, County of Hawai‘i; three members from the Hawaii County Council; Catholic Charities Hawai‘i; Hawaii Government Employees Association, Local 152, AFL-CIO; National Association of Social Workers, Hawai‘i Chapter; O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; Hawai‘i Psychological Association; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice; Hawaii Children's Action Network; East Hawaii Friends of Foster Families; Winners' Camp; and thirty-two individuals.

Your Committee finds that the increase in caseloads for child welfare workers in east Hawaii island have resulted in unmanageable caseloads and an increased potential for harm of children at risk of neglect or abuse. The pilot project proposed by this measure provides an opportunity for the East Hawaii Child Welfare Services Section to demonstrate the positive impact of adequate staffing on the safety and well-being of at-risk children in east Hawaii island.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an appropriation amount of $2,633,231 for the hiring of case managers, support staff, and administrative costs for the East Hawaii Child Welfare Services Section on Hawaii island and adding travel costs for the Child Welfare Services Division to train new hires as an allowable use of the appropriated funds; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2277, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2277, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

________________________________

JOSH GREEN, Chair