URGING THE LEGISLATURE TO CONDUCT MANDATORY INQUIRIES INTO ALL FATALITIES AND SERIOUS INJURIES THAT OCCURRED TO CHILDREN INVOLVED IN CHILD WELFARE SERVICES.

This Senate Resolution (SR 166) urges the Hawaii Legislature to establish mandatory inquiries into every child fatality or serious injury occurring within the state's child welfare system. It cites specific cases since 1997 - including fatalities from neglect, unsafe reunifications, and abuse - where DHS failed to act on warnings despite prior lawsuits and settlements totaling over $10 million. The resolution does not create new law but calls for legislative action to prevent future harm through systematic reviews, noting current gaps in accountability despite existing child death review panels.