THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

189

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

urging support for malama o kamali'i makamae in its efforts to develop care home facilities for needy children of hawaiian ancestry.

 

WHEREAS, due to a shortage of qualified case workers, too many children are neglected and fall through the cracks of the Child Protective System; and

WHEREAS, there are insufficient emergency care facilities to meet the growing need of children in imminent danger in their present living environment; and

WHEREAS, there is no self-contained long-term care facility for children to go to for protection, safety, and uninterrupted academic and cultural learning; and

WHEREAS, the 2002 Statistical Report of Child Abuse and Neglect in Hawaii by the Department of Human Services indicated an almost one hundred percent increase of child abuse or neglect occurrences of children who are of Hawaiian ancestry, from 843 occurrences reported in 1998 to 1,621 occurrences reported in 2002; and

WHEREAS, the 2002 native Hawaiian Data Book Statistical report of Homeless children of Hawaiian Ancestry by Office of Hawaiian Affairs, ages 0-5 years, indicated 350 children between 2000-2001; and

WHEREAS, the Research Report of Ho'owaiwai Na Kamali', a subsidiary of Alu Like, and affiliates, indicated, that for children of Hawaiian ancestry, the following:

(1) "Kids reporting poor family supervision was 49.1 per cent" and "Kids reporting parents unconcerned about anti-social behavior was 28.0 per cent;"

(2) Eighth graders reporting drug use in the home was 56.3 per cent, tenth graders with regular cigarette use was 21.4 per cent, tenth graders with regular use of alcohol was 41.1 per cent, and tenth graders with regular marijuana use was 27.9 per cent; and

(3) Public school students scoring below average SAT reading was 29.0 per cent, public school students scoring below average SAT math was 26.0 per cent, students in elementary school in Special Education Programs was 15.0 per cent, and children in free/reduced lunch program was 67.4 per cent; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii's children of Hawaiian ancestry are at risk of falling into the behavioral, lifestyle, and substance abuse patterns of their peers and adult family members. They are also at eminent risk for their health, safety, well being, and economic status in their present environment, which would affect their ability to grow, develop, and learn; and

WHEREAS, Malama O Kamali'i Makamae will advocate healthier, safer, happier ways a child can live and to "break the ice" cycle that many of these children are living under the influence of, and are endangered by. Also, the organization would promote good study and learning habits to improve their educational status in becoming good students under the federal mandate No Child Left Behind Program; and

WHEREAS, Malama O Kamali'i Makamae would work with and partner with the Windward communities' resources in "promoting a healthier lifestyle" by constructing and operating the first "Hale Malama O Kamali'I Makamae" in Windward Kahalu'u town, a lead community in the fight against "ice" and drugs campaign, then to expand to other Oahu areas and on each of the islands of Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, Malama O Kamali'i Makamae is a non-profit organization and private foundation whose purpose is to develop state of the art care home facilities for needy children of Hawaiian ancestry who are thirteen years old or younger; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-Second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Legislature encourages the support of Malama O Kamali'i Makamae in its efforts to develop state of the art care home facilities for needy children of Hawaiian ancestry who are thirteen years old or younger; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Human Services and the President of Malama O Kamali'i Makamae.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Malama O Kamali'i Makamae; Care Facilities for Native Hawaiian Children