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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.R. NO.              
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE  RESOLUTION

  SUPPORTING CONTINUED FUNDING OF HAWAII HEALTHY START WITH
    GENERAL FUND APPROPRIATIONS.



 1        WHEREAS, Hawaii's nationally acclaimed Healthy Start
 2   program has successfully reduced child abuse and neglect, while
 3   promoting optimal child development; and
 4   
 5        WHEREAS, Healthy Start aims to reduce family stress,
 6   improve family functioning and parenting; enhance child health
 7   and development; and ensure that Hawaii's at-risk families have
 8   access to basic health care needs; and
 9   
10        WHEREAS, since its origins at Kapiolani Medical Center in
11   1985, Healthy Start has expanded to sites on Kauai, Maui,
12   Hawaii, Oahu, Lanai, and Molokai; and
13   
14        WHEREAS, Healthy Start programs provide home visits to
15   children and families identified as "at-risk", lending support
16   in crises, educational and peer groups, and referrals to
17   community service resources; and
18   
19        WHEREAS, more than seven thousand five hundred families
20   are screened annually, and almost three thousand a year receive
21   Healthy Start program services; and
22   
23        WHEREAS, evaluations of Healthy Start show it is a highly
24   effective way to reach overburdened "at-risk" families,
25   indicating fewer incidents of abuse and neglect among families
26   served by Healthy Start than those not served; children not
27   served by home visits are hospitalized for child abuse or
28   neglect nearly 5.5 times more frequently than Healthy Start
29   participants; and
30   
31        WHEREAS, costs of programs and services for children--
32   education, mental health services, child protection, and other
33   vital services--face competition for limited funds as economic
34   conditions strain state budgets; and
35   
36        WHEREAS, spending on children is an investment in Hawaii's
37   future and the allocation of state funds for children's
38   programs reflects our true priorities; and
39   

 
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                                  H.R. NO.              
                                                        
                                                        


 1        WHEREAS, one person in four in Hawaii is a child, but only
 2   about one dollar out of eight government and privately donated
 3   dollars is allocated for children, youth, and family programs,
 4   including funding for public schools; and
 5   
 6        WHEREAS, Hawaii is expected to receive total payments of
 7   more than $1,100,000,000 as its share of the national tobacco
 8   settlement, with funds to be used to reduce tobacco
 9   consumption; control and prevent chronic disease; promote
10   healthy lifestyles; and promote children's health; and
11   
12        WHEREAS, although economic conditions in Hawaii may result
13   in competition to use tobacco payments for other purposes, the
14   House of Representatives urges the continued commitment of
15   general funds to fund the existing Healthy Start program, and
16   supports an increase in general funding, to the extent
17   possible, to create a statewide Healthy Start program, using
18   tobacco settlement funds as a supplement to general funds to
19   help achieve this goal; now, therefore,
20   
21        BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
22   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
23   of 2000, that this body expresses its strong support for the
24   successful Healthy Start program and urges its continued state
25   funding through general fund appropriations as a sound
26   investment in our children and Hawaii's future; and
27   
28        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
29   Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Director of
30   Health, the Director of Finance, and the Attorney General.
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34                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________