Bill > HB640

This bill aims to improve transparency and accountability in Hawaii's child welfare system by requiring the Office of the Ombudsman (an independent agency that investigates complaints about executive branch agencies) to publish quarterly reports on its website detailing complaints received about the Child Welfare Services Branch of the Department of Human Services. The reports will include the number of complaints, the nature of those complaints (such as the complainant's relationship to the branch and the specific service in question), and the disposition of each complaint. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Child Welfare Services Branch must notify all individuals involved in a case, including birth families, children, and resource caregivers, that they have the option to file a complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman when a case is first established and when they make an oral or written complaint to branch employees. This legislation stems from recommendations by the Malama Ohana Working Group, which sought to create a more trauma-informed and community-based child welfare system, with the goal of providing an independent method for resolving complaints and increasing awareness of available resources. The bill will take effect on July 1, 2025.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs, Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=640&year=2026