REPORT TITLE:
Early Childhood Screenings


DESCRIPTION:
Provides parents or guardians of a child access to screening for
their child for psychological and physiological development
between the child's second and third birthday.  Planning and
development of screening tool(s) are processed during the first
year.  Makes an appropriation therefor.  (HB259 HD2)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        259
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSESSMENTS. 


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

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that recent research has
 
 2 demonstrated that the early years of a child are most crucial in
 
 3 a child's cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development.
 
 4 Neuroscience research in early brain development as well as
 
 5 studies in early child development affirm not only the tremendous
 
 6 opportunities for preventable work with children and families,
 
 7 but also the predictable, costly consequences of not doing so.
 
 8 For every one dollar invested in early childhood education and
 
 9 care and early intervention services for children birth to five
 
10 years of age, it is estimated that seven dollars in later
 
11 remediation and special education services may be saved.
 
12      The legislature further finds that early screening,
 
13 identification, and intervention for developmental delays and
 
14 psychosocial problems improve children's outcomes, and have a
 
15 critical influence on school success and family functioning.  The
 
16 state departments of health, education, and human services
 
17 currently provide community health services and education for
 
18 screening and assessment.  However, current resources are
 
19 inadequate to make these services available to all parents and
 
20 some parents are unaware of or do not take advantage of these
 

 
Page 2                                                     259
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 services.  As a result, their children may miss proper screening,
 
 2 evaluation, and if needed, referrals and treatment.
 
 3      The purpose of this Act is to provide a means for early
 
 4 childhood screening before a child reaches the age of three.
 
 5      SECTION 2.  Chapter 321, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
 6 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
 
 7 read as follows:
 
 8      "§321-     Early childhood screenings.  (a)  Between the
 
 9 second and third anniversary of a birth, the parents or guardians
 
10 of a child shall have access to a screen for psychological and
 
11 cognitive, language, motor, and behavioral or social-emotional
 
12 development.  Screening and certification of screening may be
 
13 provided by:
 
14      (1)  The child's pediatrician;
 
15      (2)  Any primary health care provider;
 
16      (3)  The department of health; or
 
17      (4)  The department of education.
 
18      (b)  As part of the screening and certification process
 
19 required by subsection (a), the department, physician, or
 
20 provider shall:
 
21      (1)  Provide information and referrals to programs and
 
22           services to help remediate any developmental problems
 
23           as revealed by the screening;
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      (2)  Inform all parents and guardians of their
 
 2           responsibilities with respect to ensuring that their
 
 3           children's psychological and physiological development
 
 4           is progressing satisfactorily;
 
 5      (3)  Provide assistance and advice to parents and guardians
 
 6           in meeting those responsibilities;
 
 7      (4)  Provide additional screenings, assessments, or
 
 8           referrals as deemed necessary; and
 
 9      (5)  Use a standardized screening instrument and referral
 
10           protocol as jointly developed by the departments of
 
11           health, education, and human services, the university
 
12           of Hawaii, and the american academy of pediatrics."
 
13      SECTION 3.  (a)  The departments of health, education, and
 
14 human services, and the University of Hawaii, in conjunction with
 
15 the American Academy of Pediatrics, shall plan and develop:
 
16      (1)  Standardized screening for the psychological and
 
17           physiological development of a child between two and
 
18           three years of age, which includes but is not limited
 
19           to:
 
20           (A)  Cognitive development;
 
21           (B)  Language development;
 
22           (C)  Motor development; and
 
23           (D)  Behavioral or social-emotional development;
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1           and
 
 2      (2)  Access to screening by a pediatrician or primary care
 
 3           physician or other health care of child development
 
 4           professional approved by the department of health;
 
 5      (3)  Means to certify if a child has been screened by the
 
 6           child's third birthday; and
 
 7      (4)  A plan that includes benchmarking and time limits to
 
 8           achieve universal screening, including identification
 
 9           of populations most "at risk" to be targeted initially.
 
10      (b)  The standardized screening and referral protocol shall
 
11 be developed by June 30, 2000.
 
12      SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
13 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $      or so much
 
14 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 to develop
 
15 the standardized screening and referral protocol provided for in
 
16 this Act.
 
17      The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
18 health for the purposes of this Act.
 
19      SECTION 5.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
20      SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval;
 
21 provided that:
 
22      (1)  Section 2 shall take effect on July 1, 2000; and
 
23      (2)  Section 4 shall take effect on July 1, 1999.