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Harry Kim <br />Alciyor <br />01)ffirr <br />Wil Okabe <br />Managing Director <br />Barbara J. Kossow <br />Deputy .thimigtfrig Director <br />25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 • (808) 961-8211 • Fax (808) 961-6553 <br />KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg IC • Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 <br />(808) 323-4444 • Fax (808) 323-4440 <br />February 7, 2018 <br />Representative John M. Mizuno, Chair <br />Committee on Health and Human Services <br />Hawaii State Ca itol, Room 329 <br />Honolulu, HI 96813 <br />Dear Chair Mizuno, and Comrnittee Members: <br />R HB 2277 Relatin to Child Welfare Services <br />Hearing Date: 02/09/18 — 8:30 am; House Conference Room 29 <br />Thank you for this opportunity to testify in support of HB 2277. <br />My staff and 1 have been made aware of the critical need to improve child welfare <br />services in Hawaii County. While both of the State's East and West o ices are <br />suffering from a shortage of manpower, the initiative proposed in HB 2277 recognizes <br />the reality that it is in East Hawail where the State has the best chance to hire and <br />retain the necessary personnel. <br />If the nu bers 1 have seen are accurate, the child welfare caseload in East <br />Hawail is shocking and disturbing. Chil welfare workers have so many clients that it <br />would he considered unacceptable by national standards, and the caseload is even out <br />of line compared to other counties in Hawall. Add to that the handicap of being asked <br />to cover a huge geographic area, requiring a great deal of time-consuming travel, and it <br />is no wonder that the community is begging for your assistance. <br />lam not sure why the positions and funding requested in HB 2277 should be <br />considered a "pilot project," but if that is determined to be the best way to give some <br />relief to the East Hawail workers and the keiki they serve, then 1 defer to your wisdom <br />on that matter. My main concern is that the workers and their clients get the relief called <br />for, and the sooner the better. <br />Thank you for your consideration. <br />Resp <br />ctfu <br />ly submitted, <br />Wil Okabe <br />Managing Director, County of Ha ail <br />County of Hawai`i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer, <br />