National recognition honors Hawaiʻi lawmaker for efforts to protect child victims of abuse

State Rep. Mark Hashem was named the 2026 National Children’s Alliance (NCA) Champion for Children State Advocacy Award recipient in recognition of his leadership and advocacy on behalf of Hawaiʻi’s children and Children’s Justice Centers.

Hashem was honored during the 2026 NCA Recognition Awards ceremony on June 29, 2026, at The Westin DC Downtown in Washington, D.C.

The Champion for Children State Advocacy Award recognizes state policymakers whose leadership has strengthened Children’s Advocacy Centers, improved systems serving children and families affected by abuse, and whose policy work and public service have helped improve outcomes for child victims throughout their states.

For nearly 16 years, Representative Hashem has been a steadfast advocate for Hawaiʻi’s keiki and the Children’s Justice Centers that serve them. One nominator described him as “a true champion” whose commitment to the Children’s Justice Center model has helped transform services for children and families across the state. The award specifically recognizes Representative Hashem’s leadership in securing millions of dollars in state funding to establish a new, expanded Children’s Justice Center on Oʻahu.

“When I first visited the Children’s Justice Center in 2013, I saw firsthand the incredible work being done for children and families, but I also saw a facility that had long outgrown its ability to meet the community’s needs,” said Hashem (D-19, Wai‘alae-Kāhala, ‘Āina Haina, Niu Valley, Kuli‘ou‘ou). “That experience reinforced the importance of creating a space where child victims of abuse can receive the care, support, and services they deserve.”

Following that initial visit, Hashem personally contacted property managers, arranged site visits, and worked alongside Children’s Justice Center staff and community partners to secure a new location for the expanded facility.

The new center will significantly increase access to coordinated services for hundreds of children and families across Oʻahu’s urban and rural communities. It will also serve children from neighbor islands, including those requiring emergency transport to the Children’s Medical Center of Oʻahu, by providing comprehensive services in one location.

Beyond expanding direct services, the new center will establish a formal internship program for students pursuing careers in law, criminal justice, medicine, mental health and social work, helping prepare the next generation of professionals dedicated to protecting children and supporting families.

Construction on the new facility is expected to begin this summer, with the center anticipated to open in 2028.