HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1079
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII		S.D. 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE.

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that children and families who are referred to the department of human services child welfare services branch have undergone a significant amount of trauma.

The malama ohana working group created by Act 86, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023, has submitted a report to the legislature that provides recommendations to create transformative changes to the State's existing child welfare system. Among the recommendations, the malama ohana working group has put forward a call for all child welfare services branch staff in the department of human services to receive comprehensive trauma‑informed care training as part of developing a trauma-informed organization.

The legislature also finds that, in order for an organization to fully adopt a trauma-informed approach, there must be policies and practices that address the needs of staff, including training on the impacts of vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout that staff experience as a result of their work.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to:

(1) Direct the office of wellness and resilience to collaborate with the department of human services to, either directly or by contract, design, administer, and implement a program for trauma-informed organizational assessments and a training curriculum for the department of human services child welfare services branch staff; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the program.

SECTION 2. (a) The office of wellness and resilience, in collaboration with the department of human services, shall design, administer, and implement a trauma-informed care organizational assessment and training program, either directly or by contract.

(b) The trauma-informed organizational assessment and training curriculum for the department of human services child welfare services branch staff shall specifically include:

(1) An evidence-based assessment tool to help child welfare services branch staff assess their current policies and procedures in the context of serving children and families who have experienced trauma;

(2) An evidence-based assessment tool to measure the degree to which child welfare services branch staff address worker well-being, including the effects of vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout of all child welfare services branch staff;

(3) A training curriculum that establishes a cohort of trained trainers, including a branch-wide trauma‑informed care curriculum accompanied by ongoing technical assistance;

(4) Specialized trauma-informed supervisor training and technical assistance to ensure that implementation of the curriculum is sustainable; and

(5) A child welfare services expert to consult on the implementation of the assessment findings.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the office of wellness and resilience to, directly or by contract, design, administer, and implement a trauma-informed care organizational assessment and training program for the department of human services child welfare branch.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the office of wellness and resilience for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on December 31, 2050.

Report Title:

DHS; Office of Wellness and Resilience; Trauma-informed Care; Child Welfare Services; Assessment; Training; Appropriations

Description:

Directs the Office of Wellness and Resilience to collaborate with the Department of Human Services to, either directly or by contract, design, administer, and implement a program for trauma-informed organizational assessments and a training curriculum for the Department of Human Services Child Welfare Services Branch staff. Appropriates funds. Takes effect 12/31/2050. (SD1)

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