HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

83

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

  

STATE OF HAWAII

  
   

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

Requesting the department of human services to expand the membership of the child protective review panel and to convene a panel if a child is missing.

 

 

WHEREAS, child abuse is a serious problem that requires broad-based community action to prevent children from becoming victims; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature enacted Act 134, Session Laws of Hawaii 1998, to reform the child protective services system and to save the lives of innocent children; and

WHEREAS, in response to the frustration with the closed child protective services system felt by the parties working to protect children from harm, Act 134 established the child protective review panel to review each case of serious child abuse, directing the panel report its findings and recommendations to the Director of Human Services; and

WHEREAS, Act 134 sought to ensure that a child who is removed from a dangerous or neglectful situation in the home is not placed in a worse situation if the child is taken into state custody; and

WHEREAS, current law provides that members of the child protective review panel may include any physician treating the child for abuse; any child protective services worker assigned to the case and the worker's supervisor; the child's guardian ad litem; members of the child's multidisciplinary team or child protective services consultant; and other child protective workers and supervisors; and

WHEREAS, expanding the public oversight of the child protective review panel would improve the child protective services system's openness, accessibility, and communications; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2002, that the Department of Human Services is requested to continue its efforts to prevent child abuse by encouraging the active participation of individuals who are active in the systemic reform of Hawaii's child welfare system as appointed members of the child protective review panel or as consultants to the panel; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Human Services is also requested to convene a child protective review panel to review active child welfare cases when a child is missing and cannot be located and to include within the meaning of "serious abuse" a child who is missing; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to Director of Human Services, the Executive Director of Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii, the Coordinator of Na Keiki Law Center, and the Executive Director of Blueprint for Change.

 

 
 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Child Protective Review Panel; Missing Children