STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1078-22

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2022

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2481

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness, to which was referred S.B. No. 2481, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO YOUTH CRISIS CENTERS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to establish a Youth Crisis Center Branch, to be headed by the Youth Crisis Center Branch Administrator within the Office of Youth Services.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Youth Services Network and Opportunity Youth Action Hui.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Department of Human Services, Department of Budget and Finance, and Office of Youth Services.

 

Your Committee finds that there is a lack of collaboration between various state agencies to provide comprehensive, data-based services to adequately identify the needs and conditions of crises experienced by the State's youth.  Your Committee further finds that the establishment of a framework of institutionalized youth crisis centers that can be sustained, even in the absence of grant funding and contracted services, will disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, encourage the continuation of education, and provide safer environments for the State's youth.  The establishment of a Youth Crisis Center Branch as provided by this measure will ensure at-risk youth and youth in need of services have access to the services and temporary shelter that they need.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2481, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2481, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair