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.
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.
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)
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.
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 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.
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 |
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