FROM JUDITH’S DESK

I spent the first week of June in Washington DC attending the State Summit on Adolescent Reproductive Health and the National Teen Pregnancy Conference and Federal Grant Meeting.

I listened to “Champions of Sexual Health Education” share their experiences. This included the man who started teaching sexual health in his science classes after being named Boston’s Teacher of the Year, and a college student from Florida who successfully advocated for a comprehensive sex education policy in the Broward County Public Schools.

With Sonia Blackiston and Kathleen Stofocik, we made a round of visits to Hawaii’s congressional delegation. At Senator Mazie Hirono’s coffee hour, we tasted her mother’s homemade guava jam while listening to 3 congressional pages talk about the highlights of their semester in Washington DC.

Darlene Tudela and I conducted a poster session about the making of our new HIV prevention video, The Hard Way: Pacific Islands. We shared information about ethnic and cultural disparities and the need for educational materials that are culturally relevant for youth in Hawaii and other Pacific Islands with other grantees. More than 20 of our colleagues took copies of the video home with them.

I was most intrigued though, by the poster that was printed on a very thin, flexible piece of vinyl. While the rest of us were hauling around 4 foot long mailing tubes and mailing them to and from DC, that poster could be folded flat and carried in a purse. I know what I’m going to do the next time that I present a poster at a conference.

Of course, many of the most memorable moments of the trip were the conversations with others who are as passionate about their work as I am. Lunch with colleagues from California; a fascinating discussion with the exhibitor from the Office of Minority Health; and meeting with our partners in the Public School System from Saipan were fulfilling. Especially noteworthy was a peer educator from Alaska who was amazed when he saw his first banana tree at a reception in the botanical garden.

Enjoyed it all and glad to be home.

 

RESOURCES

 
YOUNG CHEFS HAVE A CHANCE TO SHINE AT FOODFEST

Hawaii’s youngest cooks can show off their chops at the 2014 Hawai’i Food & Wine Festival, with a recipe contest in which finalists will cook for chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai and chef Jason Fox of Commonwealth restaurant in San Francisco.

The festival is seeking original recipes from youths ages 8 to 17 for the Kellogg’s and Foodland Healthy Lunchtime Challenge. Recipes must feature one fresh locally grown or raised ingredient, be healthy and affordable as well as easy to make, and employ no more than 10 ingredients and 10 steps to prepare. The deadline is July 31.

Three finalists will be selected from two age categories, 8- to 12-years-olds and teens 13 to 17. Contenders will prepare their dishes Sept. 6 at the Honolulu Zoo during the festival’s Keiki in the Kitchen: Food, Fitness & Fun! event.

First-place winners will be able to invite nine of their closest friends to a Keiki Night Out party put together by either chef Roy Yamaguchi or chef Alan Wong. Champs will also win a two-night stay in oceanfront rooms at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach in Waikiki.

 

HAWAII YOUTH SERVICES DIRECTORY

Looking for youth programs and services?

http://www.hawaiiyouthdirectory.com
http://www.facebook.com/HawaiiYouthDirectory
http://www.twitter.com/HYS Directory

Please give call at (808) 956-9974 or email youthdir@hawaii.edu, if you have questions.

 

PINAO AT THE CHILDREN’S ALLIANCE OF HAWAII

The Children’s Alliance of Hawaii has recently begun a new program Pinao on Saturday afternoons for youth ages 13 through 21. Pinao is a weekly program for youth who have been sexually abused designed to develop and increase skills for problem solving, goal setting, conflict resolution, independent living and support for building individual strengths and resiliency that is necessary in adulthood. Pinao is the Hawaiian term for dragonfly, and represents strength, resiliency, transformation, power and poise.

Pinao offers life skills classes taught by staff and community volunteers. They share information in a meaningful and personalized manner that accommodates different learning styles helping the youth to make healthy life changes in their everyday lives. Topics are age appropriate and meet the needs of the youth such as goal setting, employment skills, health, college/career preparation, and healthy relationships. We also add new topics regularly as requested by the youth.

Pinao meets on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays from 1:00 to 2:00 PM at The Children’s Alliance of Hawaii office, located at Honolulu at 200 N. Vineyard Blvd., Suite 410 (corner of N. Vineyard Blvd, and Aala St). If you are interested in making a referral or would like more information about this program, please contact Amy Aoki, MSW at 599-2955 extension 218 or aaoki@childrensalliancehawaii.org

 

ENHANCEMENTS AT THE CHILDREN’S ALLIANCE OF HAWAII

The Children’s Alliance of Hawaii’s Enhancements program designed to enhance the lives of children and adolescents who have been abused and/or neglected on Oahu and Kauai through financial assistance for goods and services that will contribute to their healing process. The program focuses on the child’s individual needs and offers support for school-related expenses, sports, hobbies, intersession activities, transition into adulthood expenses, and specific health-related costs.

The monetary assistance provided through Enhancements is intended to be used in meaningful areas of the child’s life and where other resources are unavailable. The goal of Enhancements is to help children heal from the effects of abuse by providing access to items and opportunities they may not be able to afford. The program enriches the child’s physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development. It increases the child’s self-esteem and sense of self-worth. It also allows the child to feel a sense of normalcy and creates positive childhood experiences.

Who’s eligible? Children who have been abused or neglected, or who lived in a home when abuse of a sibling occurred Under the age of 18 (may be older than 18 if still in foster care) Currently living on Oahu or Kauai Referred by a professional service provider or foster parent Funds must be for a specific item, service, or activity that will enhance the child’s quality of life. If you are interested in more information or making a referral to this program, please contact the Enhancements program at 599-2955 (on Oahu) or 246-3736 (on Kauai) or by email at enhancements@childrensalliancehawaii.org .

 

TRAINING

 
SEXUALITY EDUCATION FOR MEDICAID AND CHIP ELIGIBLE ADOLESCENTS WEBINAR

Advocates for Youth is partnering in a summer RJ Lawyering webinar series with American University Washington College of Law Women and the Law Program and Law Students for Reproductive Justice.

Tuesday, July 8th at 11amPT/2pmET
Sexuality Education for Medicaid and CHIP Eligible Adolescents
Jamille Fields, National Health Law Program
Jane Perkins, National Health Law Program
Join us to discuss the long-standing Medicaid and CHIP requirements and the newly created Affordable Care Act requirements to provide comprehensive sexuality education during medical screenings.

Registration for the webinar is free. To apply for CLE credit, you must email Washington College of Law at secle@wcl.american.edu in addition to registering for the webinar. The fee is $55 and 1 CLE credit will be applied for. Washington College of the Law is an accredited provider for Virginia and Pennsylvania, with reciprocity for various states, including New York, New Jersey, Colorado, and California. All other states will be applied to upon request. You can register for the webinar here – bit.ly/lsrjCLE – http://bit.ly/lsrjCLE

 

INTRODUCTION TO MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING (MI)

Friday, July 11, 12 pm to 1:30 pm
Queen’s Conference Center and VTC sites
Free

Social workers and medical professionals could benefit from using MI if they are not already doing so. Many organizations have adapted MI into their practices since it has been proven to work and can help improve outcomes even during brief encounters.

Substance abuse counselors, health professionals, homeless service providers, mental illness case managers and life coaches are now using MI in their practices. Even those who have had training on MI could benefit from this special presentation.

Guest Speaker: C. Malina Kaulukuui, MSW, LSW
About the speaker: C. Malina Kaulukukui, MSW, LSW, School of Social Work, UH Manoa, is coordinator of the SSW Hawaiian Learning Program, as well as instructor of the behavioral health concentration course.
Education: MSW, Portland State University, 1981.
Research Interest/Area: Behavioral Health Clinical Practice, trauma-informed care, culturally-resonant practice.
Learning Objectives are:

• Identify client/patient situations where Motivational Interviewing may be a useful approach.
• Identify the core processes and principles of Motivational Interviewing.
• Practice one basic Motivational Interviewing approach.

What is Motivational Interviewing?

Motivational interviewing is a form of collaborative conversation for strengthening a person’s own motivation and commitment to change. – See more at: http://www.motivationalinterviewing.org/#sthash.KBP9Efnp.dpuf

REGISTER for QCC, all video conferencing sites or webinar

 

KAUAI HOPE WORKSHOP

Helping Our Parents Educate

July 25, 2014
9:00am-4:00pm
(9am-9:30am Registration)
Lihue Airport’s Mezzanine Conference Room

HOPE aims to educate parents on how to communicate about sex and sexuality with their youth. This 1-day workshop helps provide the knowledge, tools, and techniques to be an effective health educator for your child.

• Learn techniques and tools to talk with youth about sexuality
• Learn how to become a more approachable adult/parent for a youth seeking sexual health information
• Learn how to encourage parents to talk with their youth about sex and vice versa
• Learn how technology can be utilized when talking and engaging youth about sexual health

Who Should Attend This Workshop?

Parents/Guardians/Aunts/Uncles/Grandparents Case Managers/Social Workers Health Teachers/Health Educators Youth Program Coordinators/Youth Counselors

What if I Only Work With Youth?

You CAN still attend this workshop! It will give you tips and show you how to be a highly effective youth motivator and an adult that youth can turn to for answers.

If you are looking for ways to engage your youth through technology this workshop will also provide tips and suggestions on how to use technology when working with youth.

To Register, please click on link below by July 18:
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?HawaiiYouthServicesN/f6a8abef3f/628d5a0776/7c24758de4/id=yfxfg

 

CONCUSSION CLINIC

July 24, 6:30 to 8:30 pm
McKinley High School Auditorium

Topics include:

• Concussion recognition
• Return to play protocol
• Concussion cases in Hawaii
• Concussion management
• Heat illness

For more information info@hawaiiconcussion.com

 

11TH ANNUAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ONE-DAY SEMINAR

SAVE THE DATE

Friday, September 19, 2014
8:30 8:88:30 am to 4:00 pm at the Pagoda Hotel

Topics:

• Current Developments at the IRS affecting Not-for-Profit Organizations
• Issues and Challenges related to the Preparation of Form 990
• Hawaii General Excise Tax for Nonprofits
• Current Developments in Hawaii Affecting Not-For-Profit Organizations
• Update on the Affordable Care Act
• Financial Statements for Grant Proposal
• Update on Compensation Level for Executive Directors and Employees

Registration forms will be available on our website by August 1st – http://www.chaminade.edu/nonprofit

Please email Valery Baranets for questions – valery.baranets@chaminade.edu

 

GIRLS CIRCLE FACILITATOR TRAINING

SAVE THE DATE

What: Girls Circle facilitator training – FREE

When: Monday, Aug 4th & Tuesday, Aug 5th, 2014 8:00am – 4:30pm

Where: O`ahu location TBA

Who: Those working with girls 9-18 years old

Why: Girls Circle addresses conditions and risks and builds on protective factors

Project Kealahou is excited to announce a free 2-day facilitator certification training for Girls Circle. To find out more information on Girls Circle, please visit theirwebsitehttp://www.onecirclefoundation.org or call Project Kealahou at (808) 733-9859 Limited slots

 

INSIDE HYSN

 
ANNUAL MEETING

July 17, 2014 (Thur.)10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Ward Warehouse, Kewalo Conference Room (2nd floor mauka)
1050 Ala Moana Blvd Bldg. D, Honolulu

REMOVING THE BARS: REFORMING HAWAII’S JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM

Nearly half of Hawaii’s juvenile arrests are for status offenses, such as running away from home or being truant from school. Hawaiian and Pacific Islander youth are more likely to have involvement with law enforcement and more likely to be incarcerated when convicted. Find out about Hawaii’s efforts to:

• Decriminalize status offenses,
• Provide more flexible probation options for judges,
• Connect youth with mental health and substance abuse treatment, and
• Ensure that beds in the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility are used only for serious offenders.

Confirmed speakers include Judge Mark Browning, Chief Justice of
Family Court, and Dr. Karen Umemoto, author of the report on
Disproportionate Minority Contact in the Juvenile Justice System.

HYSN will also recognize outgoing board members and elect the new
Board of Directors.

Cost: $20 (includes lunch)

RSVP by Thursday, July 10th by clicking the registration link below or by copying and pasting it into your internet browser: https://www.123signup.com/register?id=ygppk

Registration assistance, questions or concerns, please contact Maricel Lumagui at 808-531-2189 ext. 6 or via email at maricel@hysn.org.

Air Travel Scholarships: Hawaii Youth Services Network member organizations on neighbor islands may request two round-trip airline tickets. Membership dues must be paid for the current year in order to qualify for a scholarship. Please contact Maricel Lumagui with your travel scholarship request.

Parking: Free parking in the parking structure at Ward Warehouse. Please do not park in the ground level parking stalls next to the shops.

HYSN is pleased to welcome Jennifer Fonseca as its newest intern. She is currently pursuing her Masters of Public Health at the University of Hawaii. When she graduates, she is hoping to work in health education, particularly in sexual health and teen pregnancy prevention. During her free time she likes to read, hike, and go to the beach. She also loves to travel and claims she “spends far too much time daydreaming about my next destination.”

Jennifer chose to do her practicum at HYSN because of her interest in sexual health and youth issues. She is also interested in the behind the scenes aspects of public health, such as fundraising and putting on trainings. She is looking forward to learning about grant writing, program evaluation, and event planning during her time here – and we have plenty of each in which she can become involved.