STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3286

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1932

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1932, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Child Welfare Services Branch of the Department of Human Services to establish a pilot program to develop a modern case management software solution compatible with existing child welfare technology; and

(2) Appropriate funds for this purpose.

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

Your Committee finds that the number of children in Hawaii's foster care system has been increasing substantially, resulting in caseworkers being overwhelmed by the surging caseloads. This leads to 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. This measure will allow caseworkers to more effectively manage their caseloads to meet the growing number of children in foster care, ensure that Hawaii can meet the national standard for monthly visits, improve case planning, and strengthen child and family involvement to improve mental and behavioral health outcomes for youth and the health needs for children.

Your Committee notes the testimony of the Department of Human Services that a pilot program is not necessary as the department is currently developing and implementing a new Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Child Welfare Services Branch of the Department of Human Services to develop a modern case management software solution that is compatible with existing child welfare technology without a pilot program; and

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

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

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair