Hawaii-2013-HB1234-Introduced

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1234
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to children.

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

SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to reduce child abuse by reinstating hospital-based assessments and to targeting improved intensive home visiting services to the highest risk families of newborns in communities across the State of Hawaii, while offering other families a range of evidence-based home visiting services based on their identified needs.

SECTION 2. Chapter 321, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§321‑ Assessment and home visitation program; established. (a) There is established within the department of health, a hospital-based screening and assessment and intensive home visitation program. This program shall follow the guidelines of the improved healthy start and Healthy Families America programs.

(b) Hospital-based screening and assessment pursuant to this section shall:

(1) Include proactive universal screening and assessment to enroll families prenatally or at birth, before any child welfare reports are made;

(2) Make intensive home visits available on a voluntary basis for families assessed to be at the highest risk, with the highest priority given to those with scores of forty and above on the family stress checklist or parent survey; and

(3) Make referrals for families with lower or no-risk scores, based on the needs of the family, to a range of evidence-based home visiting services.

(1) Maintain critical elements developed by the Healthy Families America program, especially related to caseloads, staff ratios, and training;

(2) Utilize a relationship-based approach with families, mother-infant dyads, and supervisor and family support worker relationships;

(3) Focus strongly on caregiver and infant attachment and social and emotional development, following principles of infant mental health;

(4) Utilize the clinical specialist approaches of enhanced healthy start in working with very high-risk families;

(5) Conduct interventions to strengthen protective factors and reduce risk;

(6) Integrate emerging evidence-based practice, as feasible and appropriate;

(7) Ensure continuous quality improvement by engaging program staff;

(8) Evaluate outcomes related to risk reduction, child development, family resilience, and confirmed cases of abuse and neglect; and

(9) Continue to evaluate the impact of intensive home visitation services and make program improvements as needed.

Services shall continue until the child reaches three years of age, or until the child reaches five years of age if the child has a younger sibling."

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the Hawaii tobacco settlement special fund, established pursuant to section 328L-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the sum of $______________ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2012-2013 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2012-2013 for hospital-based assessment and screening and intensive home visiting services.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the temporary assistance for needy families fund the sum of $__________ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2012-2013 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2013-2014 for intensive home visiting services.

The sums appropriated shall be transferred by the department of human services by interdepartmental transfer (U fund), to the department of health, to be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2013.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________