Bill Text: HI HB1798 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii House Bill 1798 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Healthy Start; Child Abuse Prevention; Appropriation ($)

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-02-05 - This measure has been deleted from the meeting scheduled on Friday 02-07-14 8:45AM in conference room 329. [HB1798 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2014-HB1798-Introduced.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1798
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH.

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that for nearly twenty-five years the healthy start home visiting initiative has reached out to families of newborns at risk of child maltreatment and developmental delays and provided services for families needing extra parenting support. However, general funds for the program were eliminated in 2009, while services for leeward Oahu and Hilo were maintained with temporary assistance for needy families funds and are currently supported by $3,000,000 in tobacco settlement funds.

The legislature further finds that because the department of health obtained federal funds and established a new home visiting network under the maternal, infant, and early childhood home visiting program, full restoration of the healthy start initiative is not needed. However, there is a need for outreach and intensive home visiting services to reduce toxic stress and enhance protective factors against child abuse and neglect among very high risk families. Based on projections from 2008, the new target group for healthy start services is estimated at 1,374 high risk families. Families at very high risk are defined as having family stress checklist scores of 40 and above and, per the checklist validation study, have a 50 percent likelihood of becoming a CPS case. The total budget needed to serve this population is $6,558,000, of which $3,000,000 is currently being funded through the tobacco settlement fund.

The purpose of this Act is to restore healthy start child abuse prevention services for families of newborns at very high risk of maltreatment and neglect across the State. This investment in our most vulnerable infants is effective and intended to reduce future expenditures for child welfare, early intervention services, special education, substance abuse, and mental health treatment services, as well as judiciary and incarceration costs.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $3,558,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014-2015 for healthy start child abuse prevention services; provided that any unexpended and unencumbered balance of the appropriation shall not lapse at the end of fiscal year 2014-2015 and shall lapse instead on June 30, 2016.

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

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2014.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Healthy Start; Child Abuse Prevention; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds for healthy start child abuse prevention services. Effective July 1, 2014.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.