SB 1398: RELATING TO TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that children and families who are referred to the department of human services child welfare services branch undergo a significant amount of trauma.

     The malama ohana working group created by Act 86, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023, has submitted a report to the legislature that provides recommendations to create transformative changes to the State's existing child welfare system, including having all child welfare services branch staff in the department of human services to receive comprehensive trauma-informed care training as part of developing a trauma-informed system.

     The legislature also finds that, in order for an organization to fully adopt a trauma-informed approach, there must be policies and practices that address the needs of the staff, including the effects of vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to direct the office of wellness and resilience to collaborate with the department of human services to, either directly or by contract, design, administer, and implement a program for trauma-informed organizational assessments and a training curriculum for the child welfare services branch of the department of human services.

     SECTION 2.  The office of wellness and resilience, in collaboration with the department of human services, shall design, administer, and implement a trauma-informed care organizational assessment and training program, either directly or by contract, for the child welfare services branch of the department of human services.

     The trauma-informed organizational assessment and training curriculum shall specifically include:

     (1)  An evidence-based assessment tool to assist the branch staff in assessing the branch's existing policies and procedures in the context of serving children and families who have experienced trauma;

     (2)  An evidence-based assessment tool to measure the degree to which the branch staff addresses worker well-being, including the effects of vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout of all branch staff;

     (3)  A training curriculum that establishes a cohort of trained mentors;

     (4)  A branch-wide trauma-informed care curriculum accompanied by ongoing technical assistance;

     (5)  Specialized trauma-informed supervisor training and technical assistance to ensure sustainable implementation of the curriculum; and

     (6)  A child welfare services expert to consult on the implementation of the assessment's findings.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the office of wellness and resilience to design, administer, and implement a trauma-informed care training and organizational assessment program for the child welfare services branch of the department of human services, directly or by contract.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the office of wellness and resilience for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on December 31, 2050.

Report Title:

OWP; DHS; CWS; Trauma-informed Care; Assessment; Training; Appropriations

Description:

Directs the Office of Wellness and Resilience to collaborate with the Department of Human Services to, either directly or by contract, design, administer, and implement a program for trauma-informed organizational assessments and a training curriculum for the Child Welfare Services Branch of the Department of Human Services.  Appropriates funds.  Effective 12/31/2050.  (SD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that children and families who are referred to the department of human services child welfare services branch have undergone a significant amount of trauma.

     The malama ohana working group created by Act 86, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023, has submitted a report to the legislature that provides recommendations to create transformative changes to the State's existing child welfare system.  Among the recommendations, the malama ohana working group has put forward a recommendation that calls for all child welfare services branch staff in the department of human services to receive comprehensive trauma-informed care training as part of developing a trauma-informed organization.

     The legislature also finds that, in order for an organization to fully adopt a trauma-informed approach, there must be policies and practices that address the needs of staff, including training on the impacts of vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout that staff experience as a result of their work.

     Accordingly, the purposes of this Act are to direct the office of wellness and resilience to collaborate with the department of human services to, either directly or by contract, design, administer, and implement a program for trauma-informed organizational assessments and a training curriculum for the department of human services child welfare services branch staff, and appropriate funds for the program.

     SECTION 2.  The office of wellness and resilience, in collaboration with the department of human services, shall design, administer, and implement a trauma-informed care organizational assessment and training program, either directly or by contract.

     The trauma-informed organizational assessment and training curriculum for the department of human services child welfare services branch staff shall specifically include:

     (1)  An evidence-based assessment tool to help child welfare services branch staff assess their current policies and procedures in the context of serving children and families who have experienced trauma;

     (2)  An evidence-based assessment tool to measure the degree to which child welfare services branch staff address worker well-being, including the effects of vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout of all child welfare services branch staff;

     (3)  A training curriculum that establishes a cohort of trained trainers, as well as a branch-wide trauma-informed care curriculum accompanied by ongoing technical assistance;

     (4)  Specialized trauma-informed supervisor training and technical assistance to ensure implementation of the curriculum is sustainable; and

     (5)  A child welfare services expert to consult on the implementation of the assessment findings.

     SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $425,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the office of wellness and resilience to design, administer, and implement a trauma-informed care training and organizational assessment program for the department of human services child welfare branch, directly or by contract.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the office of wellness and resilience for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 5.  This Act, upon its approval, shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

Report Title:

Trauma-informed Care; Office of Wellness and Resilience; Child Welfare Services; Department of Human Services; Assessment; Training; Appropriation

Description:

Directs the Office of Wellness and Resilience to collaborate with the Department of Human Services to, either directly or by contract, design, administer, and implement a program for trauma-informed organizational assessments and a training curriculum for the Department of Human Services child welfare services branch staff, and appropriates funds for the program.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 560

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1398

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 1398 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Direct the Office of Wellness and Resilience to collaborate with the Department of Human Services to, either directly or by contract, design, administer, and implement a program for trauma-informed organizational assessments and a training curriculum for the Child Welfare Services Branch of the Department of Human Services; and

     (2)  Appropriate funds.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Office of Wellness and Resilience, Hawaiʻi Primary Care Association, Hawaiʻi Youth Services Network, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Mālama ʻOhana Working Group, Hawaiʻi Health & Harm Reduction Center, HI H.O.P.E.S Initiative, and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that children and families who are referred to the Child Welfare Services Branch (CSWB) of the Department of Human Services undergo a significant amount of trauma.  Your Committee further finds that the Mālama ʻOhana Working Group, created by Act 86, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023, has submitted a report to the Legislature that provides recommendations to create transformative changes to the State's existing child welfare system, including having all CWSB staff receive comprehensive trauma-informed care training as part of developing a trauma-informed system.  This measure promotes a collaborative approach to examine and transform CWSB's practices and policies to align with the recommendations of the Mālama ʻOhana Working Group, especially the recommendation that CWSB adopt a trauma-informed approach to providing vital and essential services to children and families involved in the child welfare system.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

     Your Committee notes that this measure, as amended, contains an unspecified appropriation amount.  Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider inserting an appropriation amount of $425,000 for the Office of Wellness and Resilience to design, administer, and implement a trauma-informed care training and organizational assessment program for the Child Welfare Services Branch of the Department of Human Services, either directly or by contract.

     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. 1398, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1398, S.D. 1, 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,