THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

166

THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

URGING PERTINENT STATE AGENCIES TO COMMIT TO PROVIDING CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE RESOURCES, SERVICES, AND PROGRAMS FOR NATIVE HAWAIIAN INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES AND CARE PROVIDERS.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, the State has committed to improving the quality of life of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, necessitating the provision of relief to families and care providers; and

 

     WHEREAS, the State continues to develop and identify the scope of adequate address for the needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families and care providers, evidencing the ongoing need for continued support; and

 

     WHEREAS, intellectual and developmental disabilities are often lifelong disabilities and differences that may involve challenges that affect intellectual functioning and adaptive functioning, or a person's ability to learn, reason, communicate, socialize, or perform self-care tasks; and

 

     WHEREAS, developmental disabilities, which include intellectual disabilities, are a broad group of conditions that may involve an impairment in physical, learning, cognitive, language and communication, or behavior areas; and

 

     WHEREAS, the term "intellectual and developmental disabilities" was established and is continuously used to be encompassing and far-reaching in its inclusivity, expressing the community's diversity and recognizing individuals' unique strengths, challenges, needs, and experiences; and

 

     WHEREAS, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are beautiful and amazing, and the true extent of their cognitive abilities is not accurately reflected by measures of intelligence, as there are seemingly infinite ways that individuals learn or express themselves; and

 

     WHEREAS, the intricate tapestry of humanity reveals that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are unique in their own right, each person like all people, a singular masterpiece, and the notion of a standardized, universally applicable approach to support services is insufficient to fully appreciate and provide appropriate support for individuals' inherent uniqueness; and

 

     WHEREAS, it is this body's unwavering commitment to honor the intrinsic individuality of every person with an intellectual and developmental disability; engage in a collaborative process to identify their unique and personal needs; and develop and provide services, programs, and resources that not only uphold their dignity and active inclusion as valued members of the State's communities but also nurture their potential and safeguard their well-being; and

 

     WHEREAS, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have an inherent right to immerse themselves in their cultural identities, necessitating the provision of culturally appropriate and culturally sensitive services, programs, and resources as essential to the adequacy of support and inclusivity; and

 

     WHEREAS, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families and care providers require equitable resources and support, commensurate with their socio-economic standing, to endure in their everyday lives; and

 

     WHEREAS, it is incumbent upon society to protect and provide for the most vulnerable members of society in ensuring that all people have equitable opportunities and access to thrive; and

 

     WHEREAS, Native Hawaiians are overrepresented among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, while also facing disproportionate underdiagnosis, indicating systemic disparities and increased vulnerabilities; and

 

     WHEREAS, traditional Native Hawaiian family-based and communal structures established systems of effective care for individuals of all ages, including the most vulnerable members of society; and

 

     WHEREAS, these traditional family-based and communal structures were dismantled and are further discontinued by unresolved historical injustice; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, the House of Representatives concurring, that pertinent state agencies are urged to commit to providing culturally appropriate resources, services, and programs for Native Hawaiian individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families and care providers; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources; Director of Health; Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Director of Human Services; Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Chairperson of the Board of Education; Superintendent of Education; President of the University of Hawaii System; and Chairperson of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Report Title: 

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities; Native Hawaiians; Culturally Appropriate Resources, Services, and Programs