THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2391
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating to the zero to three court.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the Hawai‘i Zero to Three court is a specialty court in the first circuit court, family court, established in 2009 with initial funding from the national Zero to Three program. Zero to Three courts are rooted in developmental science and aim to improve outcomes for maltreated infants and toddlers, reduce the reoccurrence of substantiated abuse and neglect of infants and toddlers in the court's jurisdiction, and change the court's culture to focus on the needs of infants and toddlers. Participation is voluntary for parents who meet the criteria of having been adjudicated in family court and having at least one child between the ages of zero to three years.

Key features of this specialized court include monthly case conferences for each family, monthly court hearings, and a court team composed of a lead family court judge, designated guardian ad litem, parents' counsel, deputy attorneys general, and social workers from the department of human services. The court hearings provide intensive judicial oversight and accountability for all parties while keeping the team focused on timely permanency. Parent activities are held the same day as the monthly court hearings to enhance parenting skills and build a support system with the other families in the program in a safe, judgment free environment. Infants and toddlers in the program receive a comprehensive developmental assessment which results in appropriate referrals to services and the families also participate in parent-child interaction therapy or child-parent psychotherapy to promote healthy family functioning.

The legislature also finds that an evaluation of the Hawai‘i Zero to Three court was conducted by the University of Hawaii's center on disability studies covering program activities from August 2013 to July 2016. The study concluded that the program is successful in meeting the objectives of reducing parental alcohol or drug use, improving reunification outcomes for families, decreasing the length of stay in foster care and number of placements, increasing visitation frequency, ensuring timeliness of service availability, and increasing access to services.

The legislature notes that national funding for the Hawai‘i Zero to Three court ceased in 2012 and it has not been able to expand to other circuits. The third circuit, comprising Hawai‘i island, has expressed interest in starting a program subject to available funding.

The purpose of this Act is to support expansion of the Hawai‘i Zero to Three court to the third circuit by funding a program coordinator. It is not the legislature's intent that the requested funds supplant the judiciary's existing funding or budget requests.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $75,588 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 to support a Hawaii Zero to Three court program coordinator position in the third circuit.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the judiciary for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2022.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Zero to Three Court; Third Circuit; Judiciary; Appropriation

Description:

Establishes a Zero to Three program coordinator position. Expands the Zero to Three court program to the Third Circuit. Appropriates funds.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.