Report Title:
Adoption of Special Needs Children
Description:
Appropriates funds for the Department of Human Services to contract with a provider to assist in the adoption of special needs children. (SB2500 HD1)
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2500 |
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TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002 |
S.D. 2 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
H.D. 1 |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to Human services.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
PART I.
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the federal government, through the federal adoption assistance program, provides annual financial incentives to the State of $4,000 for each foster child whose adoption is finalized and up to an additional $2,000 for a special needs adoption. These federal assistance payments of up to $2,000 are also made available with a fifty per cent state match to pay for nonrecurring adoption expenses such as court costs and attorney's fees incurred by the adoptive families.
The legislature further finds that each child removed from foster care and adopted by a family saves the State in monthly expenses and administrative costs. Therefore, the purpose of this part is to require the department of human services to contract with a provider for legal assistance to adoptive families to assist families to adopt special needs children.
SECTION 2. The department of human services shall contract with a provider for legal assistance to adoptive families to adopt special needs children. The contract amount shall not exceed $1,200 per adoption case.
SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2002-2003 for the purpose of providing the state match for federal funds available for nonrecurring adoption expenses and providing funds for a contracted provider to provide legal assistance to adoptive families.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of part I of this Act.
PART II.
SECTION 4. The legislature finds that the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federally funded financial assistance program which also assists children suffering from disabilities. The legislature further finds that special needs children have been traditionally overlooked for SSI benefits because of the high case loads for state social workers, resulting in only twenty-two per one thousand children in Hawaii receiving SSI benefits, reflecting the lowest eligibility rate of any state in the nation. The legislature further finds that special needs children and their families who become eligible for SSI benefits will receive $550 per month which can be used to provide a range of support services including counseling, tutoring, learning equipment, supervised child care, clothing, food, and other needs. With parents paying for these services, this may reduce the cost to the State for providing the same services. Therefore, the purpose of this part is to fund a pilot project to provide legal services to assist in the application for SSI benefits and appeal in all denials of applications. This project shall target at least one hundred special needs children who are eligible for SSI benefits.
SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2002-2003 for a contract to obtain SSI benefits for at least one hundred applicants.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of part II of this Act.
PART III.
SECTION 6. The legislature finds that federal moneys can be a significant source of funding to support Hawaii's health and human services programs but, unfortunately, these federal funds have not been maximized for a variety of reasons.
Therefore, the purpose of this part is to appropriate funds for the department of human services to contract with a provider to implement a one-year pilot project to maximize collections and cost avoidance from the federal medicare program. The goal of this project is to provide the State with a $1,500,000 cost savings through cost avoidance and collection efforts.
SECTION 7. The department of human services shall make available to the contractor all information required to adequately identify claims for dually eligible medicare and medicaid recipients.
SECTION 8. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2002-2003 for the contracted provider to accomplish the goals of part III of this Act by maximizing federal benefits available to Hawaii residents who are dually eligible for benefits under medicaid and medicare.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of part III of this Act.
PART IV.
SECTION 9. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2002.