STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 4050
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: GOV. MSG. NOS. 659, 660, 661, 662, 663, 664,
665
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2022
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Human
Services, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 659, 660, 661, 662, 663,
664, and 665, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of:
State Rehabilitation Council
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G.M. No. 659 |
ROSELANI ROWE, for a term to expire 06-30-2025; |
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G.M. No. 660 |
EVALINA WATANABE, for a term to expire 06-30-2025; |
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G.M. No. 661 |
STANLEY YOUNG, for a term to expire 06-30-2025; |
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G.M. No. 662 |
WALTER SOARES, for a term to expire 06-30-2025; |
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G.M. No. 663 |
ANNETTE TASHIRO, for a term to expire 06-30-2025; |
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G.M. No. 664 |
CATHERINE TAYLOR, for a term to expire 06-30-2025; and |
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G.M. No. 665 |
HEATHER CHAPMAN, for a term to expire 06-30-2023, |
begs leave to report as follows:
Your Committee
reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by Roselani
Rowe, Evalina Watanabe, Stanley Young, Walter Soares, Annette Tashiro,
Catherine Taylor, and Heather Chapman for service on the State
Rehabilitation Council.
ROSELANI ROWE
Upon review of the
testimony, your Committee finds that Ms. Rowe's experience, knowledge, and
commitment to public service qualify her to be reappointed to the State
Rehabilitation Council. Ms. Rowe is
currently the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Leadership in
Disabilities and Achievement of Hawaii, a non-profit organization that works on
various projects that benefit children with or at risk of disabilities, their
families, and the professionals who serve them, including the Parent Training
and Information Center for the State of Hawaii. Prior to being promoted to her current
position, Ms. Rowe was an Education and Training Coordinator providing
training, outreach, and advocacy services for parents, families, and caregivers
of children with disabilities and disability professionals. Ms. Rowe's
commitment to public service is evidenced in her service on various councils and
committees, including the Special Education Advisory Council, whose mission is to
guide and assist the Department of Education in fulfilling its responsibility
to meet the individual needs of children with disabilities.
Your Committee notes that the State
Rehabilitation Council is required by statute to include at least one representative
of a parent training and information center.
Ms. Rowe has been a member of the Council fulfilling this statutory
requirement since 2020, and if reappointed, will continue to serve in this capacity.
Your Committee finds that Ms. Rowe's
professional experience and knowledge in working with parents, families, and caregivers
of children with disabilities and disability professionals and commitment to
public service will continue to be great assets for the State Rehabilitation
Council. Your Committee therefore recommends
that Roselani Rowe be reappointed to the State Rehabilitation Council.
EVALINA WATANABE
Your Committee
received testimony in support of the nomination for the reappointment of Evalina
Watanabe from the Department of Human Services' Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation.
Upon review of the
testimony, your Committee finds that Ms. Watanabe's experience, knowledge,
and commitment to public service qualify her to be reappointed to the State
Rehabilitation Council. Ms. Watanabe
is a resident of Maui who currently serves as Staffing Coordinator at Mastercare
Homecare and Healthcare, where she is responsible for advocating for and assisting
families with children and adults with disabilities navigate through the
homecare and healthcare systems. Prior
to her current position, Ms. Watanabe served as an independent living specialist
with the Hawaii Centers for Independent Living, providing advocacy and education
on disability awareness and accessibility throughout the State. Ms. Watanabe's commitment to public
service is evidenced in her service on various commissions and organizations, including
serving as the Chairperson of Maui County's Commission on Persons with Disabilities
that assists the County in rendering services to persons with disabilities.
Your Committee notes
that the State Rehabilitation Council is required by statute to include at least
one member from each county and representatives of disability advocacy groups. Ms. Watanabe has been serving on the Council
since 2020 fulfilling these statutory requirements as a member from the County
of Maui representing disability advocacy groups. If reappointed to the Council, she will
continue to serve in the same capacity.
Your Committee finds
that Ms. Watanabe's professional experience and knowledge in advocating for families
with children and adults with disabilities and commitment to public service will
continue to contribute greatly to the State Rehabilitation Council. Your Committee therefore recommends that Evalina
Watanabe be reappointed to the State Rehabilitation Council.
STANLEY YOUNG
Your Committee received
testimony in support of the nomination for the reappointment of Stanley Young from
the Department of Human Services' Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
Upon review of the
testimony, your Committee finds that Mr. Young's experience, knowledge, and
commitment to public service qualify him to be reappointed to the State
Rehabilitation Council. For the past
twenty-five years, Mr. Young has been an active client of Ho‘opono
Services for the Blind, a branch of the Department of Human Services' Division
of Vocational Rehabilitation. Mr. Young
has worked at various state and federal blind vending facilities since 1995 and
currently serves as a licensed blind vendor at Daniel K. Inouye International
Airport's newsstand along his two blind partners and eighty-four employees, including
disabled and blind individuals. Since
2019, Mr. Young has been serving as the elected chairperson of the Hawaii State
Committee of Blind Vendors, a federal Randolph Sheppard Act mandated board of
blind vendors, actively participating in all major decisions made by Ho‘opono's
Business Enterprise Program on behalf of blind vendors.
Your Committee notes
that the State Rehabilitation Council is required by statute to include representatives
of disability advocacy groups. Mr. Young
has been a member of the Council fulfilling this statutory requirement since 2020,
and if reappointed, will continue to serve in this capacity.
Your Committee finds
that Mr. Young's personal and professional experience and knowledge in working
as a blind vendor, hiring disabled and blind employees, and advocating on
behalf of blind vendors, as well as his commitment to public service will continue
to be great assets to the State Rehabilitation Council. Your Committee therefore recommends that Stanley
Young be reappointed to the State Rehabilitation Council.
WALTER SOARES
Your Committee
received testimony in support of the nomination for the reappointment of Walter
Soares from the Department of Human Services' Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation.
Upon review of the
testimony, your Committee finds that Mr. Soares's experience, knowledge, and
commitment to public service qualify him to be reappointed to the State
Rehabilitation Council. Since 1989, Mr. Soares
has been the President and owner of Island Skill Gathering, an entity contractor
with the Department of Human Services' Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, that
empowers people with disabilities by facilitating the learning of independent
living skills; providing assistive technology, vocational counseling, and Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) training; and raising disability awareness. As an individual with a disability who has been
a recipient of the Division's services, Mr. Soares has first-hand knowledge
on its vocational rehabilitation process and can therefore effectively advocate
on behalf of disabled individuals seeking employment.
Your Committee notes
that the State Rehabilitation Council is required by statute to include representatives
of disability advocacy groups. Mr. Soares
has been a member of the Council fulfilling this statutory requirement since 2020,
and if reappointed, will continue to serve in this capacity.
Your Committee finds
that Mr. Soares's working knowledge on the vocational rehabilitation process,
expertise in assistive technology that can assist an individual with a disability
accomplish almost any job task, and his experience advocating on behalf of
individuals with disabilities will continue to enhance the effectiveness of the
State Rehabilitation Council. Your Committee
therefore recommends that Walter Soares be reappointed to the State
Rehabilitation Council.
ANNETTE TASHIRO
Your Committee
received testimony in support of the nomination for the reappointment of Annette
Tashiro from the Department of Human Services' Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation.
Upon review of the testimony,
your Committee finds that Ms. Tashiro's experience, knowledge, and commitment
to public service qualify her to be reappointed to the State Rehabilitation
Council. Ms. Tashiro is a retired certified
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with a Master of Education degree in Counselor
Education-Rehabilitation Counseling. Ms.
Tashiro was a public servant for over two decades, serving in various positions
with the State of Hawaii and City and County of Honolulu. Her experience includes ten years of service as
a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with the Ho‘opono Services for the Blind, a
branch of the Department of Human Services' Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation, during which she advocated for and collaborated with her
clients to develop a successful individualized plan for employment and independent
living. Ms. Tashiro currently serves
as a volunteer to provide counseling, education, and training opportunities for
persons with disabilities to help them achieve success in their quality of life
aspirations, and continues to be an active community member as an advocate for emergency
preparation, resolving homelessness, aging with dignity, and equal access to
community services. In addition to being
a member of the State Rehabilitation Council since 2020, she chairs the Statewide
Independent Living Council and serves on the National Federation of the Blind,
Anuenue Chapter, as its treasurer.
Your Committee notes that
the State Rehabilitation Council is required by statute to include representatives
of disability advocacy groups. If
reappointed, Ms. Tashiro will be one of the members fulfilling this statutory
requirement.
Your Committee finds
that Ms. Tashiro's advocacy for individuals with disabilities, experience in
education-rehabilitation counseling, familiarity with the vocational
rehabilitation program and the needs of individuals with disabilities, and
commitment to public service will continue to be great assets to the State
Rehabilitation Council. Your Committee therefore
recommends that Annette Tashiro be reappointed to the State Rehabilitation
Council.
CATHERINE TAYLOR
Your Committee
received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Catherine
Taylor from the Department of Human Services' Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
Upon review of the
testimony, your Committee finds that Dr. Taylor's experience, knowledge, and
commitment to public service qualify her to be appointed to the State
Rehabilitation Council. Dr. Taylor has
been a teacher employed by the Department of Education for sixteen years, with
credentials that include a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Education,
specializing in Exceptionalities earned from the University of Hawaii at Manoa
and a Master of Science degree in Rehabilitation Counseling earned from San
Francisco State University. She has been
a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Behavioral Specialist since 2008 and has
been serving as a Special Education and Science Teacher, Secondary Education,
at Iao School and Maui High School in the County of Maui since 2019. Dr. Taylor's past positions include
serving as a Disability Services Counselor at the University of Hawaii Maui
College during which she worked closely with counselors at the Department of
Human Services' Division of Vocational Rehabilitation in facilitating the
transition of individuals with disabilities into the workforce and vocational
and college programs.
Your Committee notes
that the State Rehabilitation Council is required by statute to include representatives
of disability advocacy groups. Dr. Taylor
has been serving as an interim member of the Council as one of the
representatives of disability advocacy groups for the past year and if appointed,
will continue to serve in this capacity.
The appointment of Dr. Taylor, who is a resident of Maui, will also
fulfill the statutory requirement that the State Rehabilitation Council include
at least one member from each county.
Your Committee finds
that Dr. Taylor's extensive experience in working with individuals with
disabilities and supporting their educational needs as they transition to
employment and post-secondary education and commitment to public service will continue
to be great assets to the State Rehabilitation Council. Your Committee therefore recommends that Catherine
Taylor be appointed to the State Rehabilitation Council.
HEATHER CHAPMAN
Your Committee
received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Heather
Chapman from the Department of Human Services' Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation.
Upon review of the
testimony, your Committee finds that Dr. Chapman's experience, knowledge, and
commitment to public service qualify her to be appointed to the State
Rehabilitation Council. Dr. Chapman
earned a Doctorate in Psychology from Touro University in Vallejo, California;
a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology from Argosy University; and a Master
of Science degree in Counseling Psychology from Chaminade University of Honolulu.
She is a Licensed Behavior Analyst and
is currently the Department of Education's Educational Specialist for
post-secondary, incarcerated, and residential students under the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Dr.
Chapman's role in planning, implementing, and evaluating transition education
and services at the state system level ensures that transitioning students
achieve their postsecondary goals.
Your Committee also
notes that the State Rehabilitation Council is required by statute to include
at least one representative of the state educational agency responsible for the
public education of students with disabilities. The appointment of Dr. Chapman satisfies
this statutory requirement.
Your Committee believes
Dr. Chapman's knowledge of school and mental health systems, learning styles,
special education, behavior interventions, and student/client intervention
development will continue to be great assets to the State Rehabilitation
Council. Your Committee therefore recommends
that Heather Chapman be appointed to the State Rehabilitation Council.
As affirmed
by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that
are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the
background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees
to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the
Senate advise and consent to the nominations.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of
the members of the Committee on Human Services,
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____________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair |
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