More aid sought for foster care, Quest services
By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Capitol Bureau
Supporting more foster homes and adoptions for abused and neglected children and reducing the number of uninsured people are among the budget requests state Department of Human Services officials made to lawmakers yesterday.
Department director Lillian Koller told the House Finance Committee an additional $3.6 million for increasing foster care and adoptive costs is the department's top priority in its supplemental budget request this year. Koller said the increase is a result of a rise in out-of-home placements of abused and neglected children, noting that many cases involve crystal methamphetamine.
Lillian Koller said the Department of Human Services expects to enroll at least 8,000 more uninsured children and adults in Quest.
"This is part of that damage from our ice epidemic," Koller said.
In the fiscal year that ended June 2003, the latest statistics available, the department provided monthly assistance payments for the foster care of 5,079 children, adoption for 2,047 children and permanent living arrangements for 932 children. The department expects these payments will increase as it has in the past several years because of a growing caseload.
The department is seeking about $25 million more state money on top of its second-year general fund budget of $592 million that lawmakers approved last year. The department has an overall budget of about $1.5 billion, which includes state, federal and other money.
Department officials are also seeking $5 million more to enroll more uninsured Hawai'i residents in Quest, the state's healthcare insurance program for the poor.
Koller said the department expects to enroll at least 8,000 more uninsured children and adults, partly through efforts such as simplifying the enrollment process for children and pregnant women and temporarily lifting the enrollment cap to include more uninsured eligible adults. The department also wants to cover immigrant pregnant women who would be eligible if it were not for their immigrant status.
The department is also asking for more than $13 million for projected increases in Quest enrollment as well as restoring money to provide services for immigrants under the Compact of Free Association.
House Finance Chairman Dwight Takamine, D-1st (N. Hilo, Hamakua, N. Kohala), said the committee will review the department's request and consider it in the context of the overall state budget while keeping in mind top priorities such as public schools and dealing with the state's problems with crystal methamphetamine.
Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8070.
