Bill Text: HI HR117 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Management Audit

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-20 - The committee(s) on HUS recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. [HR117 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2014-HR117-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	117
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting a management audit of the child welfare services branch of the social services division of the department of human services.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, the mission of the Child Welfare Services Branch of the Social Services Division of the Department of Human Services is to provide services to ensure the safety and permanency of children in their own homes or, when necessary, in out-of-home placements; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Child Welfare Services Branch attempts to empower families and build upon family strengths, but when children cannot be safely returned to the family, the Branch proceeds with permanent placement through adoption, legal guardianship, or other substitute long-term care, including independent living; and

 

     WHEREAS, the last audits of the Child Welfare Services Branch of the Social Services Division of the Department of Human Services were conducted in 1999, with a follow-up audit in 2003; and

 

     WHEREAS, the 1999 audit criticized the Department's communication and decision-making processes that may affect the safety and well-being of the children, specifically singling out limited communication within the Department that does not ensure that the risk of harm to a child will be considered during key decision-making; and

 

     WHEREAS, the 2003 follow-up audit found that many of the deficiencies revealed in the 1999 audit had continued, and that the crux of the problems stemmed from a lack or disregard of department management controls; and

 

     WHEREAS, specifically, the 2003 audit found that supervisory oversight and review, which is a critical Department control, was inadequate and resulted in inconsistent enforcement of intake and investigation procedures, poor communication with the Family Court and the City and County of Honolulu Police Department, and untimely permanency planning; and

 

     WHEREAS, in addition, the 2003 audit found that the Department did not always use or properly review its risk assessment matrices, which are tools that promote systematic and consistent decision-making; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Child Welfare Services Branch of the Social Services Division of the Department of Human Services is overdue for another follow-up audit; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2014, that the Auditor is requested to conduct a management audit of the Child Welfare Services Branch of the Social Services Division of the Department of Human Services; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature requests that the management audit focus on cases of missing children, including incidences and the implementation of measures to prevent or resolve incidents; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor is requested to submit a report of findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature not later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2015; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Auditor and the Director of Human Services.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Management Audit