H.C.R. NO. 8 - Hawaii Home Visiting Program

• Urges the Department of Health to continue expanding and improving its home visiting program, including reinstatement of evidence-based home visiting services for families at highest risk for child abuse and neglect

• Notes the Healthy Families America-Hawaii program served approximately 2,400 high-risk families annually with a 99 percent non-abuse rate before being dismantled in 2008 due to budget restrictions

• Identifies that 10-12 percent of families (approximately 1,377 families) had very high-risk assessments with scores of 40 and above on parent surveys, correlating with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

• Proposes establishing two levels of home visiting services: comprehensive services for lower and moderate-risk families and intensive evidence-based services for families at very high risk

• Directs transmission of certified copies to the Director of Health and the Executive Director of the Hawaii Family Support Institute at the University of Hawaii at Manoa