Safe Places for Youth Mini Conferences Held at State Capitol

One hundred and fifty children and youth advocates gathered at the State Capitol today to attend a Safe Places for Youth Mini Conference. The conference provided an opportunity for members of the community to discuss the concept of the State's "Safe Places for Youth" initiative and receive community outreach and training.

Children, youth and community advocates identified the provision of "Safe Places for Youth" as a top priority during the 2012 Children and Youth Submit. As a result, Hawaii is embarking on an initiative designed to provide a network of safe places statewide where children and youth can seek help in a timely and supportive manner.

"Today's conference provided a great opportunity for members of our community to continue to discuss and build on our efforts to develop a network of places where youth can access safety and services," said Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland, Co-Convener of the Keiki Caucus. "Protecting our youth from vulnerable situations, whether at home, school, or on the streets, is a top priority. Safe Places would give our youth a secure location to turn to when they need it most."

Senate Bill (SB) 391 and House Bill (HB) 395, relating to youth, were two measures introduced during the 2013 Legislative Session to help establish safe places for youth.

SB 391 requires the office of youth services to coordinate a two-year safe places for youth pilot program to establish a network of safe places where youth can access safety and services. It also establishes the position of safe places for youth program coordinator.

HB 395 requires the Office of Youth Services to coordinate a Safe Places for Youth Pilot Program to coordinate a network that youth may access for safety and where they may obtain advice, guidance, programs, and services. Additionally, the measure provides that in awarding custody and visitation of a minor child, the court shall consider the preference that custody be awarded to both parents to ensure maximum continuing physical, emotional, and meaningful contact with both parents.

Although neither measure made it through conference, both can still be acted on in the 2014 Legislative Session.

"This is an exciting community effort," said Chun Oakland. "This is a good plan and a valuable program. We will continue to work hard to pass supportive legislation this upcoming session."

Today's event was hosted by the Hawaii State Legislature's Keiki Caucus, Office of Youth Services, Hawaii State Student Council, and Hawaii Youth Services Network. View the media release.

Governor Signs Measures to Support Hawaii's Kupuna

Governor Neil Abercrombie today signed into law several measures central to the continued support and protection of Hawaii's kupuna.

"I am appreciative to the Governor for signing these priority measures," said Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland, chair of the Senate Committee on Human Services and co-convener of the Hawaii State Legislature's Kupuna Caucus. "As Hawaii's population ages, it remains incumbent upon us to offer the programs and tools necessary to make certain that our parents and grandparents are well taken care of. The enactment of these bills shows the State's continued dedication to serving Hawaii's kupuna, ensuring that they can continue to thrive."

House Bill (HB) 529, relating to care homes, requires all operators of adult foster homes, assisted living facilities, and expanded adult residential care homes to obtain and maintain a sufficient amount of liability insurance with respect to their operations.

HB 120, relating to health, requires the Department of Health to post on its website reports of all inspections at state-licensed care facilities occurring on or after January 1, 2015. It also establishes a Working Group on Licensed Care Facilities.

SB 106, relating to aging, establishes and funds a position for an Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia Services Coordinator. The measure also appropriates funds for programs and services that support the State's elderly population, including Kupuna Care and Health Aging Partnership and establishes the Task Force on Mobility Management.

HB 398, relating to human services, establishes a working group to review issues relating to the transition of oversight of home and community-based facilities from the Department of Human Services to the Department of Health. The working group is required to submit a report prior to the 2014 Regular Session.

SB 102, relating to elderly, requires financial institutions to report instances of suspected financial abuse of an elder directly to the appropriate county police department and the Department of Human Services.

View the media release.

Site Visit to Kokua Kalihi Valley

On May 3, 2013, Senator Chun Oakland along with Senator Ruderman, Vice Speaker Mizuno and Councilmember Fukunaga and other community advocates took a tour of Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services (KKV) to experience the broad array of comprehensive and holistic health care services provided to the Valley's low-income Asian and Pacific Island immigrant population.

KKV serves over 10,000 community members each year and through its programs and activities strives to create healthy environments in which relationships can flourish. The mission of KKV is to work toward healing, reconciliation and the alleviation of suffering in Kalihi Valley by serving communities, families and individuals through strong relationships that honor culture and foster health and harmony. Visit www.KKV.net to find out more about Kokua Kalihi Valley.

"The People's Pulse" (Summer 2012)

The Hawaii Business Roundtable and the Pacific Resource Partnership have released their Summer 2012 edition of "The People's Pulse", a periodic public opinion newsletter based upon telephone tracking studies conducted by the OmniTrak Group.

This edition of "The People's Pulse" includes findings from a survey of 701 residents conducted between May 3-21, 2012. Among the highlights of the survey are:

 1. Hawaii Resident Confidence Jumps
 2. Public Education: Career Readiness
 3. Education: State-Funded Early Learning
 4. Education: Redeveloping Public Schools

Visit the Hawaii Business Roundtable's website to view this report.

Governor Signs Bill to Support Long-Term Care Facilities

Today Governor Neil Abercrombie signed Senate Bill (SB) 2466, Relating to Long-Term Care Facilities, into law. The measure establishes the nursing facility sustainability program special fund.

The revenue generated by SB 2466 will ensure that long-term care facilitates in Hawaii will be compensated for their services to Medicaid patients and the uninsured. This measure also will assist the State and the Department of Human Services in maintaining and providing medical assistance to those in need.

"Long-term care facilitates in Hawaii have faced major financial challenges in providing quality health care for our residents," said Senate Committee on Human Services Chair Suzanne Chun Oakland. "These challenges have been largely a result of payments to Medicaid enrollees for care not covered by the actual cost of care. This measure will help to improve the quality of life for Hawaii's residents by making certain that Medicaid recipients have access to health care."
View the media release.

Liliha Town Hall Meeting held at Lanakila Elementary School

On April 16, 2012, Senator Chun Oakland participated as a panelist to share her experience on the Legislative Proposals regarding Hawaii Medical Center (HMC) East with residents of Liliha. Mahalo to Representative Corinne Ching for organizing this town hall meeting. (Photos courtesy: John-Marlo Ting)

Building Ready States: A Governor's Guide to Supporting a Comprehensive, High-Quality Early Childhood State Systems.

This report by the NGA Center offers six policy strategies governors can use to build and nurture a comprehensive, high-quality early childhood system including:

• Coordinate early childhood governance through a state early childhood advisory council (ECAC);
• Build an integrated professional development system;
• Implement a quality rating and improvement system (QRIS);
• Develop a longitudinal and coordinated early childhood data system;
• Align comprehensive early learning guidelines and standards for children from birth to age 8 with K-3 content standards; and
• Integrate federal, state and private funding sources.

(Description from the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices)

Visit NGA.org to view the full report.

Building Strong Systems of Support for Young Children's Mental Health

Key Strategies for States and a Planning Tool
Authors: Sheila Smith, Shannon Stagman, Susan Blank, Christine Ong, and Kendra McDow
Publication Date: June 2011

This report describes key strategies for creating a comprehensive system of supports for young children's mental health and provides examples from states using these strategies. It also includes a tool that state planners can use to assess progress and plan steps toward building a strong system of early childhood mental health supports. (Description from the National Center for Children in Poverty)

Visit NCCP.org to view the full report.

Governor Signs Hawaii Interagency Council on Homelessness Bill into Law

Governor Neil Abercrombie signed Senate Bill 2804 into law on June 8, 2012. The measure establishes the Hawaii Interagency Council on Homelessness under the Department of Human Services. The Council will identify critical strategic goals and initiatives that would mitigate homelessness as well as ensure that homeless persons obtain permanent housing and become reintegrated into the community.

"I am glad that the Governor signed this bill into law to further help one of the most vulnerable populations in our State. Because Homelessness is a multifaceted and complex matter, one of the functions of the Council is to work collaboratively with various organizations to find ways we can better serve and assist individuals and families," said Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland, chair of the Senate Committee on Human Services.

Under the law, the Department of Human Services is required to conduct a study on the feasibility of establishing safe havens in Hawaii and to submit a report to the Legislature prior to the convening of the 2013 Regular Session. The law goes into effect on July 1, 2012.

The Governor also named Colin C. Kippen as the new Coordinator on Homelessness today.
View the media release.

Student Advocates Honored for Helping Hawaii "Play it Safe"

Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland joined Lt. Governor Brian Schatz and Rotarian Dave Hamil in a ceremony recognizing winners of this year's "Play It Safe" Safety and Nutrition Awareness Poster Contest. The event was held in the Governor's Ceremonial Room on May 16, 2012.

Sponsored annually by the Play It Safe International Program, the contest seeks to educate students from preschool through third grade on the importance of safety awareness and prevention.

"The Play it Safe International Program has greatly expanded safety awareness through the education of children," said Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland, who serves as the advisory chairperson for the Play It Safe International Program here in Hawaii. "Through being educated at an early age on the importance of health and safety awareness prevention, Hawaii's youngsters are being protected from the potential hazards and risks encountered during the course of their daily lives."

This year, eleven elementary school student award winners were presented with Certificates of Recognition by the Twenty-Sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii for their poster designs and advocacy of youth safety. During the ceremony Lt. Governor Schatz also provided a proclamation, signed by the Governor and himself, proclaiming May 16, 2012 as Play it Safe Day in the State of Hawaii.

Others in attendance included Lani Moo, members of the Hawaii State Sheriffs, Honolulu Police Department, Rotary Club of Waikiki, and Assistance League of Hawaii.

The winners of this year's poster contest include:

Award	Winner's Name	School
Overall Winner	Kacey Yamane	Nuuanu Elementary
Child Safety & Nutrition Winner	Jayan Francis A. Cornelio	August Ahrens Elementary
School Winner	Ashlyn Chang	Nuuanu Elementary
School Winner	Gwen Edades	Likelike Elementary
School Winner	Penicia Pene	Pohakea Elementary
School Winner	Kayla Abalos	Kapunahala Elementary
School Winner	Kaili Afoa	Palisades Elementary
School Winner	Keyt Franzez Agcaoli	Ewa Elementary
School Winner	Mateo Alvarez	Mokapu Elementary
School Winner	Aaron Ramos	August Ahrens Elementary
School Winner	Elle Ishihara	Manoa Elementary

Traffic and Transportation Town Hall Meeting Presentations

These two presentations (in pdf format) are provided by the State Department of Transportation and City Department of Transportation Services. They outline major projects/changes affecting streets in and around Senate District 13. The presentations are from the Traffic and Transportation Town Hall Meeting held on 1/10/12 at Likelike Elementary School.

Click here to view the State Department of Transportation presentation
Click here to view the City Department of Transportation Services presentation

Youth Recognized for Play It Safe Safety Poster Contest

Senate and House Hold Info Briefing on Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation

Pictures captured by Honolulu Pulse during the 2011 Children and Youth Day

View photos on HonoluluPulse.com

"Ke Kumu Wai"

Summer 2010 Newsletter - "It is with sincere gratitude that I express my appreciation to everyone in State Senate District 13 and across the State of Hawaii who have helped make this a productive legislative session. I am deeply moved and humbled by the community's efforts to provide valuable input to help us move past this difficult time in our state's history.

I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to my legislative colleagues and support staff. The Legislature passed significant legislation this year. Kupuna services, children's health and safety, public education, energy, food security, economic development, affordable housing, homeless services, and support to businesses were among our numerous priorities..." -Senator Chun Oakland