HB1079 • 2026

RELATING TO TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE.

Budget Children Labor Taxes

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: NAKAMURA (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action: 2026-04-02
Official status: Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not specify that an expert consultant will be appointed; this was inferred but removed as unsupported.

Trauma-Informed Care Program for Child Welfare Staff

This bill directs the Office of Wellness and Resilience to work with the Department of Human Services to create a program that assesses and trains child welfare staff on trauma-informed care, and provides funding for this initiative.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Office of Wellness and Resilience to collaborate with the Department of Human Services to design and implement a program for assessing how well organizations handle trauma.
Creates a training curriculum for child welfare services branch staff on trauma-informed care, including ways to support worker well-being.
Appoints an expert consultant to help apply findings from assessments in the child welfare system.
Funds the Office of Wellness and Resilience with $425,000 each year for two years to carry out these tasks.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Human Services
Child Welfare Services Branch staff

Terms To Know

Trauma-informed care: A way of providing services that recognizes the impact of trauma on an individual's life and uses this understanding to guide how they are helped.
Vicarious trauma: The emotional or physical distress a person experiences from hearing about another person’s traumatic experience, often seen in people who help others with trauma.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how the training and assessment program will be implemented beyond fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027.
It is unclear what happens if the full $425,000 is not needed each year.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment directs the Office of Wellness and Resilience to work with the Department of Human Services to create a trauma-informed care program, including assessments and training for child welfare staff, and allocates funds for this initiative.

The Office of Wellness and Resilience will collaborate with the Department of Human Services to design, administer, and implement a trauma-informed organizational assessment and training program for child welfare services branch staff.
A specific curriculum will be developed that includes assessments on current policies and procedures, measures to address worker well-being, and specialized supervisor training.
Funds are appropriated from general revenues for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to support the program.

The exact amount of funds appropriated is not specified in the amendment text provided.
The effective date listed as July 1, 3000 appears incorrect and may be a placeholder or error.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

The Office of Wellness and Resilience will collaborate with the Department of Human Services to design, administer, and implement a trauma-informed organizational assessment and training program for child welfare services branch staff.
A specific curriculum will be developed that includes evidence-based tools to assess policies and procedures, measure worker well-being, and provide ongoing technical assistance.
Funds are appropriated from the state's general revenues for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to support this program.

The exact amount of funds appropriated is not specified in the amendment text.
The implementation details, such as specific contractors or timelines, are not provided.

Bill History

2026-04-02 S
Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
2026-04-01 H
House Conferee(s) discharged.
2026-03-20 H
Received notice of all Senate conferees being discharged (Sen. Com. No. 409).
2026-03-20 S
Senate Conferee(s) discharged.
2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-04-24 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 875).
2025-04-24 H
Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Friday, 04-25-25 1:51PM in conference room 329.
2025-04-24 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Hashimoto Chair; Moriwaki Co-Chair; Fevella.
2025-04-22 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 783).
2025-04-21 H
House Conferees Appointed: Marten, Morikawa Co-Chairs; Kapela, Olds, Garcia.
2025-04-11 S
Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 704).
2025-04-10 H
House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
2025-04-08 H
Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 726) in amended form (SD 1).
2025-04-08 S
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2025-04-04 S
One Day Notice 04-08-25.
2025-04-04 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1791) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2025-04-02 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-03-27 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-02-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2025-03-21 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2025-03-21 S
Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1242) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2025-03-19 S
The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Aquino, Hashimoto, Keohokalole; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.
2025-03-18 S
Public notice requirement waived pursuant to Senate Rule 21.
2025-03-18 S
The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 03-19-25 1:10PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2025-03-04 S
Referred to HHS, WAM.
2025-03-04 S
Passed First Reading.
2025-03-04 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 144).
2025-02-28 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4). Transmitted to Senate.
2025-02-28 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 970), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2025-02-24 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Alcos, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.
2025-02-21 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Monday, 02-24-25 12:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-10 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Belatti, Cochran, Kila, Ward excused (4).
2025-02-10 H
Reported from HSH (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 260) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2025-02-04 H
The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Olds, Amato, Chun, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Takayama, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2025-01-31 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HSH on Tuesday, 02-04-25 9:30AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-23 H
Referred to HSH, FIN, referral sheet 3
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-21 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE.
DHS; Office of Wellness and Resilience; Trauma-informed Care; Child Welfare Services; Assessment; Training; Appropriations ($)
Directs the Office of Wellness and Resilience to collaborate with the Department of Human Services to, either directly or by contract, design, administer, and implement a program for trauma-informed organizational assessments and a training curriculum for the Department of Human Services Child Welfare Services Branch staff. Appropriates funds. Takes effect 12/31/2050. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1079

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1079

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO
TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that children and families who are referred to the department
of human services child welfare services branch have undergone a significant
amount of trauma.

����
The malama ohana working group created by
Act 86, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023, has submitted a report to the legislature that
provides recommendations to create transformative changes to the State
'
s
existing child welfare system.
�
Among the
recommendations, the malama ohana working group has put forward a
recommendation that calls for all child welfare services branch staff in the
department of human services to receive comprehensive trauma-informed care
training as part of developing a trauma-informed organization.

����
The legislature also finds that, in order
for an organization to fully adopt a trauma-informed approach, there must be
policies and practices that address the needs of staff, including training on
the impacts of vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout that
staff experience as a result of their work.

����
Accordingly, the purposes of this Act are
to direct the office of wellness and resilience to collaborate with the
department of human services to, either directly or by contract, design,
administer, and implement a program for trauma-informed organizational
assessments and a training curriculum for the department of human services
child welfare services branch staff, and appropriate funds for the program.

����
SECTION 2.
�

The office of wellness and resilience, in collaboration with the
department of human services, shall design, administer, and implement a
trauma-informed care organizational assessment and training program, either directly
or by contract.

����
The trauma-informed organizational
assessment and training curriculum for the department of human services child
welfare services branch staff shall specifically include:

����
(1)
�
An
evidence-based assessment tool to help child welfare services branch staff
assess their current policies and procedures in the context of serving children
and families who have experienced trauma;

����
(2)
�
An
evidence-based assessment tool to measure the degree to which child welfare
services branch staff address worker well-being, including the effects of
vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout of all child welfare
services branch staff;

����
(3)
�
A
training curriculum that establishes a cohort of trained trainers, as well as a
branch-wide trauma-informed care curriculum accompanied by ongoing technical
assistance;

����
(4)
�
Specialized
trauma-informed supervisor training and technical assistance to ensure
implementation of the curriculum is sustainable; and

����
(5)
�
A
child welfare services expert to consult on the implementation of the
assessment findings.

����
SECTION 4.
�

There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii
the sum of $425,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
year 2026-2027 for the office of wellness and resilience to design, administer,
and implement a trauma-informed care training and organizational assessment
program for the department of human services child welfare branch, directly or
by contract.

����
The sums appropriated shall be expended by
the office of wellness and resilience for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION 5.
�

This Act, upon its approval, shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

BY REQUEST

Report Title:

Trauma-informed Care; Office of Wellness and Resilience;
Child Welfare Services; Department of Human Services; Assessment; Training;
Appropriation

Description:

Directs the Office
of Wellness and Resilience to collaborate with the Department of Human Services
to, either directly or by contract, design, administer, and implement a program
for trauma-informed organizational assessments and a training curriculum for
the Department of Human Services child welfare services branch staff, and
appropriates funds for the program.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.