HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THE SENATE

THE THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE

INTERIM OF 2020

COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES & HOMELESSNESS

Rep. Joy A. San Buenaventura, Chair

Rep. Nadine K. Nakamura, Vice Chair

Rep. Della Au Belatti	Rep. Calvin K.Y. Say
Rep. Bertrand Kobayashi	Rep. James Kunane Tokioka
Rep. John M. Mizuno	Rep. Gene Ward

COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

Senator Russell E. Ruderman, Chair

Senator Karl Rhoads, Vice Chair

Sen. Les Ihara, Jr.	Sen. Kurt Fevella
Sen. Gil Riviere

NOTICE OF INFORMATIONAL BRIEFING

DATE:	Tuesday, January 7, 2020
TIME:	10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
PLACE:	Conference Room 329 State Capitol 415 South Beretania Street

A G E N D A

The House Committee on Human Services & Homelessness and the Senate Committee on Human Services will convene the Hawaii Homelessness Summit 2020 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on January 7, 2020 in conference room 329 of the Hawaii State Capitol. Featuring presentations by Lieutenant Governor Josh Green, the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness Scott Morishige, Former U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Matthew Doherty, and key leaders coordinating efforts on each island, this informational briefing aims to evaluate the success of housing first programs, the rapid re-housing program, family assessment centers, and homeless outreach and civil legal services in achieving measurable progress toward their objectives at the county and state level.

10:00 a.m.           Welcome and Introductions

Representative Joy A. San Buenaventura

Senator Russell E. Ruderman

10:10 a.m.           The Current State of Homelessness in Hawaii

Governor Ige signed an emergency proclamation for homelessness in 2018 to help accelerate completion of housing projects, expand shelter capacity and broaden access to services. A seventh supplementary proclamation was signed in December 2019, extending the emergency relief period to February 2020. Have funding priorities such as housing first, rapid re-housing, family assessment centers, and homeless outreach and civil legal services been successful in reducing homelessness? Have new resources such as Ohana Zones, Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD), and medical respites demonstrated efficacy?

                           Scott Morishige, Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness

10:30 a.m.           Spotlight on Counties: Defining and Measuring Success

Homelessness is a multifaceted challenge that demands a holistic approach of data-driven solutions, cross-sector collaboration, and community engagement. What does it mean to end homelessness? What does data reveal about the success of housing first, rapid re-housing, family assessment centers, and homeless outreach and civil legal services programs in each county? What challenges and opportunities have been identified at the county level? How has feedback and data informed next steps and planning?

                           Marc Alexander, Executive Director, Mayor’s Office of Housing (Honolulu)

Sharon Hirota, Executive Assistant, Mayor’s Office (Hawaii)

                           Lori Tsuhako, Director, Dept. of Housing and Human Concerns (Maui)

                           David Nakama, Homeless Program Coordinator, Dept. of Housing and Human Concerns (Maui)

                           Sharon Woodward Graham, Homeless Programs Coordinator, Kauai County Housing Agency (Kauai)

11:30 a.m.           Community Partners: Bridging the Gap and Partners in Care

A Continuum of Care (CoC) is a regional planning body designed to assist sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals by providing housing and/or services needed to help move people into transitional and permanent housing, with the goal of long-term stability. The State of Hawaii has two: Partners in Care and Bridging the Gap. What issues will be prioritized by CoCs in 2020? What synergies exist between CoCs and how can coordination be improved?

                           Laura E. Thielen, Executive Director, Partners in Care (Oahu)

                           Brandee Menino, Chair, Bridging the Gap (Hawaii, Maui, Kauai)

12:00 p.m.          What's Next? Embracing Innovative Solutions

Lieutenant Governor Green's background as a physician informs his way of thinking: housing is healthcare. His leadership helped innovative projects such as the Hawaii Homeless Healthcare Hui (H4), joint outreach centers, and Kauhale – clusters of tiny homes and communal facilities – become reality. What observations informed the design of these solutions? What are the unique challenges and opportunities that policy makers in Hawaii face when implementing innovative solutions?

Lieutenant Governor Joshua B. Green

12:15 p.m.          Ending Homelessness in America

                           Matthew Doherty, Former U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director

12:25 p.m.          Closing Remarks

No public testimony will be accepted.

If you require special assistance or auxiliary aids and/or services to participate in the informational briefing (i.e., sign language interpreter or wheelchair accessibility), please contact the Committee Clerk at 586-6530 to make a request for arrangements at least 24 hours prior to the briefing.  Prompt requests help to ensure the availability of qualified individuals and appropriate accommodations.

For further information, please call the Committee Clerk at 586-6530.

________________________________________ Senator Russell E. Ruderman Chair	________________________________________ Rep. Joy A. San Buenaventura Chair
________________________________________ Senator Ronald D. Kouchi President of the Senate	________________________________________ Rep. Scott K. Saiki Speaker of the House