HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.R. NO.67            
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE RESOLUTION
REQUESTING A COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF PREVENTION AND EARLY
   INTERVENTION SERVICES.



 1       WHEREAS, a Rand Study released in April of 1998 proved that
 2   quality, early intervention and education programs improve a
 3   child's subsequent academic achievement and can reduce the
 4   likelihood that the child will grow up to lead a life of crime;
 5   and
 6   
 7       WHEREAS, for every dollar invested in early childhood
 8   education and care and early intervention services for children
 9   from birth to five years of age, it is estimated that $7 in
10   later remediation and special education services may be saved;
11   and
12   
13       WHEREAS, to guide legislative decision-making, social and
14   fiscal policy determinations affecting the allocation of human
15   and financial resources need to be periodically examined and
16   measured for effectiveness; and
17   
18       WHEREAS, comprehensive longitudinal studies assessing the
19   effectiveness and desired outcomes of services of the
20   Departments of Health and Human Services are either lacking or
21   too limited in scope; now, therefore,
22   
23       BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
24   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
25   of 1999, that the Legislative Auditor is requested to conduct a
26   cost-benefit analysis of prevention and early intervention
27   services; and
28   
29       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the analysis compare the costs
30   of prevention and early intervention services with the costs of
31   treatment and remediation services; and
32   
33       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Auditor
34   determine the effectiveness of existing social and financial
35   policies concerning prevention and early intervention services;
36   and

 
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                                  H.R. NO.67            
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Auditor work
 2   collaboratively with:
 3   
 4       (1)  The Departments of Health and Human Services for
 5            program knowledge, experience, and access to data; and
 6   
 7       (2)  The Department of Budget and Finance for prevention,
 8            early intervention, and treatment expenditures,
 9            projections of costs, and analysis of fiscal
10            resources;
11   
12   and
13   
14       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Auditor report
15   findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than
16   twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of
17   2000; and
18   
19       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
20   Resolution be transmitted to the Legislative Auditor and the
21   Directors of Health, Human Services, and Finance.
22 
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25                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________