STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1659

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.C.R. No. 277

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 277 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING A ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF THE STATEWIDE INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP A PLAN FOR COORDINATION AND EXPANSION OF SERVICES PROVIDED THROUGH HEALTHY START TO YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to extend the Statewide Interagency Task Force for one year in order to achieve the following:

(1) Implementation of a general plan for tracking, monitoring, assessing, and reporting on progress on indicators related to achievement of outcomes;

(2) Completion of discussions on topics identified by the task force, but not yet addressed; and

(3) Development of any legislation that may be appropriate for consideration in the 2006 Legislative session.

The Department of Health, Department of Human Services and the Hawaii Family Support Institute provided testimony in support of this concurrent measure.

Healthy Start is a program that provides services and screens pregnant women for early identification of at-risk families. However, once risk factors are identified by Healthy Start, the task of assessing reports of child abuse and neglect is the responsibility of the Child Protective Services program. Healthy Start is administered by the Department of Health, and Child Protective Services is in the social services division of the Department of Human Services. This process was far from seamless.

In response, the 2003 Legislature established an interagency task force to develop an implementation plan for the coordination and expansion of services that were being provided to at risk young children and their families.

Your Committee finds that the statewide interagency task force has increased coordination and collaboration between the Departments of Health and Human Services, and other stakeholders in the private and largely nonprofit sector, and that an additional year is needed to allow the task force to implement its plan and complete its purpose.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 277 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

 

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair