Domestic violence is child abuse. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agrees: “In order to respond to the overwhelming issues associated with domestic violence, child welfare professionals need to understand these issues and know how to identify them as well as assess and provide treatment to children affected.”

One solution is to update Hawaii Revised Statutes 587 (the state’s Child Protective Act) to include assessments for domestic violence in child welfare cases and ongoing assessments of currently licensed caregivers for domestic abuse histories.

The state can then be in full compliance with federal law and better protect families in their care. An overdue audit of Hawaii’s Child Welfare Services (CWS) is a good starting point, focusing on domestic violence as a precursor for entering CWS and taking a serious look at how the family courts are doing to protect victims of abuse caught up in the child welfare system.

Shana W. Logan

Hilo

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