A policy for youth is established for the State as follows:

(1) It shall be the policy of this State to concentrate on the prevention of delinquency as an important strategy which can be planned and implemented on behalf of youth and their families. The State shall encourage community involvement in the provision of services for youth including, as an integral part, local government, public and private voluntary groups, public and private nonprofit groups, and private-for-profit groups in order to encourage and provide innovative strategies for these services. To maximize resources and services to youth in need of services, agencies shall develop standards of care, methods to coordinate services, and evaluate and monitor these activities. For youth with special needs, the furtherance of this policy requires all agencies to recognize that their jurisdiction in meeting these youths’ needs are not mutually exclusive and that they will work jointly under the coordination of the office of youth services;
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Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 352D-2

  • county: includes the city and county of Honolulu. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 1-22
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Office: means the office of youth services. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 352D-3
  • youth in need of services: means any youth who has been arrested, or who has had contact with the police, or who is experiencing social, emotional, psychological, educational, moral, physical, or other similar problems. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 352D-3
  • Youth services: means public or privately funded programs which provide developmental, preventive, protective, recreational, treatment or rehabilitative services for youth at risk including: after school programs, foster care services, residential group homes, independent living programs; child nurturing and family living programs; camps; playground programs; services to youth with school-related problems including educational neglect; services to youth who are found to be subject to neglect, abuse, or exploitation; employment/training programs; diagnostic, preventive, and remedial medical and mental health services to youth, including chemically dependent, physically, mentally, and emotionally disabled and handicapped youth; information and referral services; and legal services to assure the rights of youth. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 352D-3
(2) When youth at risk or their families request help, state and local government resources shall be utilized to complement community efforts to help meet the needs of youth by aiding in the prevention and resolution of their problems. The State shall direct its efforts first to strengthen and encourage family life as the most appropriate environment for the care and nurturing of youth. To this end, the State shall assist and encourage families to utilize all available resources. For youth in need of services, the State shall secure those services as are needed to serve the emotional, mental, and physical welfare of youth and the best interests of the community, preferably in the youth’s home or in the least restrictive environment possible. When youths must be placed in care away from their homes, the State shall ensure that they are protected against any harmful effects resulting from the temporary or permanent inability of parents to provide care and protection for their youth; and
(3) This policy for youth shall be implemented through the cooperative efforts of state and county legislative, judicial, and executive branches, as well as other public and private resources. Where resources are limited, services shall be targeted to those youth in greatest need.

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