STAND. COM. REP. NO.  457-10

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

 

RE:   H.R. No. 8

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.R. No. 8 entitled:

 

"HOUSE RESOLUTION URGING THE PROVISION OF ORIENTATION AND ADDITIONAL TRAINING TO INCREASE THE ABILITY OF STATE AGENCY CASE WORKERS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES FACED BY GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this resolution is to urge the provision of orientation and additional training to increase the ability of state agency case workers to address the issues faced by grandparents raising grandchildren. 

 

     Na Tutu, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren and a concerned individual submitted testimony in support of this measure.

 

     Based on the results found by the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Task Force, your Committee finds that frustration between DHS case workers and grandparents exist to some extent.  The report showed a number of areas where there has been concern: little or no understanding of the role of DHS case workers by the grandparents, grandparents feeling intimidated and afraid of losing their grandchildren, no respect shown by DHS case workers for the grandparent/grandchild relationship, and no emotional support provided by DHS case workers.

 

     Therefore, your Committee believes that additional training and orientation to increase the ability of State agency case workers to address the issues faced by grandparents who raise grandchildren is a critical plan to alleviate the frustration found on behalf of both the grandparents and the DHS case workers.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 8 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

 

 

		____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair