STAND. COM. REP. NO. 344-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1932

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 1932 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish, and appropriate funds for, a pilot program to develop a modern case management software solution compatible with existing child welfare technology in the Child Welfare Services Branch of the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Binti, Inc. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that the number of children experiencing the foster care system in Hawaii has increased substantially, while caseworkers are becoming more and more overloaded. These challenges can result in fewer in-person visits to children and families, decreased child and family involvement in case planning, less support for families, and more opportunities for children and families to fall through the cracks.

The pilot program proposed by this measure is intended to allow for modern, web-based technology upgrades so that case workers can access important information on their mobile phones during case visits and doing field work to more effectively manage their caseloads and better meet the needs of children in the foster care system.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting most of the preamble;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1932, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1932, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness,

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair