STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2342

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3272

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 3272 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 Department of Human Services, in collaboration with the Office of Wellness and Resilience, to design a four-year Child Welfare System Diversion and Intervention Pilot Program to support families and children involved or at risk of involvement or reinvolvement with child welfare services;

(2) Specify that the Department of Human Services shall implement and administer the pilot program; and

(3) Allow the Department to contract with public and private entities to provide necessary services.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Wellness and Resilience, Department of Human Services, State Health Planning and Development Agency, Early Childhood Action Strategy, Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!, EPIC ʻOhana, and five individuals.

Your Committee finds that more initiatives must be established to address the unmet needs of children and families in the State's child welfare system. Your Committee further finds that other states have successfully reduced the number of families involved in child welfare systems by implementing innovative programs that include assistance with system navigation, financial assistance, and parenting classes and other resources to strengthen families. This measure demonstrates efficacy in diverting children from entry into the child welfare system through the delivery of financial assistance and resources along with a trauma-informed intervention program aimed at improving parenting skills as well as the caregiver-child relationship.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3272 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair