Hawaii 2022 Regular Session

Hawaii Senate Bill SR179 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	THE SENATE S.R. NO. 179 THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022 STATE OF HAWAII SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE PERFORMANCE AND MANAGEMENT AUDIT OF THE CHILD WELFARE SERVICES BRANCH OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.
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3	3	THE SENATE S.R. NO. 179
4	4	THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022
5	5	STATE OF HAWAII
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7	7	THE SENATE
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9	9	S.R. NO.
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11	11	179
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13	13	THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022
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17	17	STATE OF HAWAII
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29	29	SENATE RESOLUTION
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35	35	REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE PERFORMANCE AND MANAGEMENT AUDIT OF THE CHILD WELFARE SERVICES BRANCH OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.
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41	41	WHEREAS, the purpose of the Child Welfare Services Branch (CWSB) of the Department of Human Services is to: (1) Ensure the safety, stability, and well-being of children in the State; and (2) Respond to allegations of child abuse and neglect while providing supportive services to children and their families; and WHEREAS, due to recent tragic events, the public and news media have raised many questions about the CWSB's operations, including policies, procedures, and management; and WHEREAS, a 2017 review conducted by the United States Administration for Children and Families concluded that CWSB made no improvements from the previous evaluation conducted in 2009; and WHEREAS, CWSB was determined to not be in "substantial conformity" with any of the seven outcome categories of the evaluation, including the outcome that "[c]hildren are first and foremost protected from abuse and neglect"; and WHEREAS, CWSB only met five of the seven systematic factor categories, an identical result to the 2009 evaluation; and WHEREAS, attracting and retaining qualified employees has been a significant, long-standing concern for CWSB; and WHEREAS, other concerns include insufficient quality and frequency of caseworker visits, children remaining in foster care beyond fifteen months with no viable goal, and maltreatment allegations in pending cases not formally being investigated; and WHEREAS, this body recognizes child abuse and neglect as serious problems and that there is an urgent need to determine whether CWSB has the personnel and resources necessary to effectively investigate allegations of abuse and neglect, and otherwise perform CWSB's duties; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, that the Auditor is requested to conduct a comprehensive performance and management audit of the CWSB; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor is requested to examine, as part of the audit, the effectiveness of and compliance with the CWSB's policies and procedures, including: (1) Investigating and substantiating reports of child abuse and neglect; (2) Providing services for substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect, including risk assessment methods to assess whether the child is in danger of abuse or neglect; (3) Establishing, maintaining, and enforcing policies that safeguard the rights of the child and their non-abuser family members; (4) Sharing information and coordinating investigative duties with county police departments; (5) Sharing information and coordinating duties with the Department of the Attorney General Family Law Division's policies and procedures; (6) Inputting and maintaining the records in the Child Abuse and Neglect Registry database; and (7) Providing effective oversight and supervision of all child welfare offices in the State; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor is requested to examine and provide recommendations for additional personnel and other resources needed for the CWSB to effectively investigate allegations of abuse, and neglect, and otherwise perform CWSB's duties; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor is requested to submit a report of the Auditor's findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than forty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2023; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Human Services and Administrator of the Child Welfare Services Branch of the Department of Human Services. OFFERED BY: _____________________________ Report Title: Child Welfare Services; Audit
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43	43	WHEREAS, the purpose of the Child Welfare Services Branch (CWSB) of the Department of Human Services is to:
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47	47	(1) Ensure the safety, stability, and well-being of children in the State; and
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51	51	(2) Respond to allegations of child abuse and neglect while providing supportive services to children and their families; and
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55	55	WHEREAS, due to recent tragic events, the public and news media have raised many questions about the CWSB's operations, including policies, procedures, and management; and
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59	59	WHEREAS, a 2017 review conducted by the United States Administration for Children and Families concluded that CWSB made no improvements from the previous evaluation conducted in 2009; and
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63	63	WHEREAS, CWSB was determined to not be in "substantial conformity" with any of the seven outcome categories of the evaluation, including the outcome that "[c]hildren are first and foremost protected from abuse and neglect"; and
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67	67	WHEREAS, CWSB only met five of the seven systematic factor categories, an identical result to the 2009 evaluation; and
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71	71	WHEREAS, attracting and retaining qualified employees has been a significant, long-standing concern for CWSB; and
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75	75	WHEREAS, other concerns include insufficient quality and frequency of caseworker visits, children remaining in foster care beyond fifteen months with no viable goal, and maltreatment allegations in pending cases not formally being investigated; and
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79	79	WHEREAS, this body recognizes child abuse and neglect as serious problems and that there is an urgent need to determine whether CWSB has the personnel and resources necessary to effectively investigate allegations of abuse and neglect, and otherwise perform CWSB's duties; now, therefore,
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83	83	BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, that the Auditor is requested to conduct a comprehensive performance and management audit of the CWSB; and
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87	87	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor is requested to examine, as part of the audit, the effectiveness of and compliance with the CWSB's policies and procedures, including:
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91	91	(1) Investigating and substantiating reports of child abuse and neglect;
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95	95	(2) Providing services for substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect, including risk assessment methods to assess whether the child is in danger of abuse or neglect;
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99	99	(3) Establishing, maintaining, and enforcing policies that safeguard the rights of the child and their non-abuser family members;
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103	103	(4) Sharing information and coordinating investigative duties with county police departments;
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107	107	(5) Sharing information and coordinating duties with the Department of the Attorney General Family Law Division's policies and procedures;
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111	111	(6) Inputting and maintaining the records in the Child Abuse and Neglect Registry database; and
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115	115	(7) Providing effective oversight and supervision of all child welfare offices in the State; and
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119	119	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor is requested to examine and provide recommendations for additional personnel and other resources needed for the CWSB to effectively investigate allegations of abuse, and neglect, and otherwise perform CWSB's duties; and
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123	123	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor is requested to submit a report of the Auditor's findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than forty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2023; and
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127	127	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Human Services and Administrator of the Child Welfare Services Branch of the Department of Human Services.
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135	135	OFFERED BY: _____________________________
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139	139	OFFERED BY:
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141	141	_____________________________
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147	147	Report Title:
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149	149	Child Welfare Services; Audit