Bill Text: HI HB1354 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Keiki Caucus; Healthy Start; Enhanced Healthy Start; Appropriation
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Enrolled - Dead) 2009-05-11 - Carried over to 2010 Regular Session. [HB1354 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2010-HB1354-Amended.html
Report Title:
Keiki Caucus; Healthy Start; Enhanced Healthy Start; Appropriation
Description:
Appropriates Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds and general revenue funds for the Healthy Start and Enhanced Healthy Start Programs, to maintain current services, to hire additional staff and for provider training. (HB1354 HD2)
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1354 |
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TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009 |
H.D. 2 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO CHILDREN.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
PART I
SECTION 1. Research confirms the positive impact that an abuse-free, stable, and nurturing environment has on a child's physical and psychological development. Trauma, abuse, and stress can negatively affect the development of children's brains, which are approximately ninety per cent developed by age three, and to a great extent their earliest experiences define their adult functional capacities. Statistics show a strong correlation between childhood abuse and school failure, delinquency, mental illness, drug and alcohol abuse, crime, and homelessness.
The legislature finds that Hawaii's healthy start program is designed to prevent child abuse and neglect and promotes child development among high-risk infants and toddlers. The healthy start program began as a demonstration child abuse prevention project in July 1985, and was expanded to a statewide program in 2001. Healthy Families America, a national program model designed to help expectant and new parents provide a healthy start for their children, drew largely from the research, knowledge, and experience of Hawaii's healthy start program.
The purpose of this Act is to appropriate general revenue funds and temporary assistance for needy families funds to the department of human services and the department of health for the healthy start and enhanced healthy start programs to hire a child development or clinical specialist, fund provider training, address budgetary shortfalls, and implement recommended improvements.
PART II
SECTION 2. Support programs such as healthy start are especially important during times of economic distress. The Center for Law and Social Policy notes studies showing that incidents of child abuse and neglect increase during financial downturns. Healthy start is an important resource for overburdened families to assist them with safe and successful parenting. Parents unable to form bonds with their infants or suffering with substance abuse issues, domestic violence, depression, or financial difficulty, are invited to participate in the program. Once enrolled, parents are offered practical support in the form of food, clothing, and housing and employment resources, as well as parenting support from social workers and child development specialists. The loss of support that the healthy start program offers high-risk families in such critical times can lead to increased child abuse, social and health problems, and loss of future human capital and productivity.
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 2009-2010 and the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2010-2011 to maintain the current support services provided by the healthy start program.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of sections 1 and 2 of this Act.
SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of temporary assistance for needy families funds the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009-2010 and the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2010-2011 to maintain the current support services provided by the healthy start program.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of sections 1 and 2 of this Act.
PART III
SECTION 5. A multi-disciplinary team was established due to concerns that some families facing substance abuse, domestic violence, and mental-health issues were not being effectively enrolled in the healthy start program. This multi-disciplinary team approach became known as enhanced healthy start, and serves families at higher levels of risk, as well as infants and toddlers confirmed as being subject to abuse or neglect.
To improve the program and assist more families, the following additional program changes have been recommended by healthy start proponents to improve services and service delivery:
(1) Increased prenatal intake as a means of increasing engagement, retention, and effectiveness;
(2) A focus on risk factors identified on the family stress checklist at assessment;
(3) Improved ratios of child development specialists and clinical specialists to the number of families served; and
(4) Training development to keep providers abreast of state-of-the art interventions.
Implementing these recommended program changes in conjunction with the continuation of the healthy start program will give Hawaii's children their best opportunity to thrive and grow into well-adjusted, successful adults.
SECTION 6. There is appropriated from temporary assistance for needy families funds the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009-2010 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2010-2011 to the department of human services for the healthy start program, including enhanced healthy start, to hire a child development specialist or clinical specialist, and to train healthy start and enhanced healthy start providers to continue delivering currently provided services.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of section 5 of this Act.
PART IV
SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2020.
