Question: Whatever happened to state House and Senate initiatives introduced earlier this year that sought to increase the monthly reimbursement rate for foster parents for the first time since 1990?

Answer: House Bill 986 made it through both chambers and on to conference committee, but it did not receive a joint hearing for final approval because the state Department of Human Services asked lawmakers to hold the measure so it could research how to best implement an increase, said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Mele Carroll (D, Lanai-Molokai).

Carroll said raising the state’s foster reimbursement rate of $529 per month per child — roughly $17
per day — is still an option, and that lawmakers could choose to amend the existing measure or introduce a new bill, depending on what changes the department proposes.

“We didn’t want to rush into raising the rates until we got a better handle on what the department’s ideas were,” Carroll said.

In its testimony last session, the department indicated that an increase of $75 per month would cost the state about $5.3 million.

Judith Wilhoite, a family advocate for the It Takes an ‘Ohana program of Family Programs Hawaii and an advocate for the bill, said she is pleased with how the measure is being moved forward.

“I think they’re going to try really hard to look at this and do what they can to make it right,” Wilhoite said.

A similar Senate measure passed to the House for consideration but did not receive a hearing.

Kaui Keola of Halawa Heights, who has been a foster parent for 13 years, testified during a hearing for Senate Bill 59 in January that she pays a discounted rate of $450 per month to send her 2-year-old foster child to a special needs school, which leaves $79 for expenses such as diapers and formula.

According to a study published in 2007 by Children’s Rights, a New York-based national advocacy organization, Hawaii needed to increase its foster parent reimbursement payments by 19 percent for toddlers, 36 percent for school-age children and 49 percent for teenagers to adequately cover basic care costs.

Hawaii reimburses all foster parents equally, regardless of the age of the children being cared for.

Carroll said the department also plans to look into whether Hawaii should restructure its reimbursement rates to reflect the cost of caring for various age groups, similar to how California’s system is crafted.

“They are looking at what other states are doing; that’s part of their research,” she said.

Lawmakers did agree last session on a bill to allow foster care youths to voluntarily remain in the system until their 21st birthday if they are in school or a training program or working part time.

A 2008 federal law allows states to claim federal reimbursement for supervising eligible youths until they turn 21, and since then 16 states have extended foster care beyond age 18 or have plans to do so.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed the measure, which is estimated to cost the state $1.2 million a year, on July 1. It will take effect on July 1, 2014.

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This update was written by Sarah Zoellick. Suggest a topic for “Whatever Happened To …” by writing Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-210, Honolulu 96813; call 529-4747; or email cityeditors@staradvertiser.com.