Mālama ʻOhana unites community and state to review Hawaiʻi’s child welfare system
The founding of Mālama ʻOhana Working Group—a group formed to suggest changes to legislature regarding Hawaiʻi’s existing child welfare system—was announced in a press release from the Office of Wellness and Resilience on Feb. 2.
By collaborating with the community and state, Mālama ʻOhana seeks to redesign and recommend transformative changes to Hawaiʻi’s existing child welfare system by working alongside families who have lived experience in the system.
The working group conducted its first public meeting on Sept. 18, 2023, and will have virtual meetings every month through November 2024. It is also planning to host a number of in-person meetings and community listening sessions this year.
“The work of Mālama ‘Ohana is a mark of Hawai‘i’s commitment to uplift the voices of ‘ohana and keiki affected by the child welfare system,” said Laurie Tochiki, co-chair of the working group. “By engaging members of our communities who have lived experience in the system, we can work toward real, lasting change to benefit current and future generations of families.”
The concept of the working group originated within the work of the Nā Kama a Hāloa Network, which consists of more than 30 organizations working collaboratively to improve the lives of Native Hawaiian keiki and ʻohana, especially those over-represented in the state’s child welfare system.
Legislation for the working group (Senate Bill 295) was introduced by Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz during the 2023 legislative session. The Mālama ʻOhana Working Group was created when the bill was signed into law by Gov. Josh Green, M.D., on June 14, 2023, and it is convened by the Office of Wellness and Resilience in the Office of the Governor.
“We are excited to see Mālama ʻOhana come to fruition,” said Tia L. R. Hartsock, director of the Office of Wellness and Resilience. “We hope it can be an example of how community members and state agencies can work alongside one another to improve our state services, as well as overall well-being for our keiki and families.”
Mālama ‘Ohana comprises 17 members, including those who bring important lived experience and expertise as youth, birth parents, and both kinship resource caregivers and licensed resource caregivers in our state child welfare system, as well as representatives from EPIC ʻOhana, Hale Kipa, the Hawai‘i Department of Human Services, Kamehameha Schools, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Liliʻuokalani Trust.
“The Mālama ‘Ohana Working Group is an innovative way to collaboratively problem-solve a complex issue,” said Gov. Green. “It’s bringing people together to make our state more trauma-informed and healing-centered, and we’re proud to have this work convened in our office.”
Public comment periods
Community members are invited to attend the meetings and participate during public comment periods. The public can participate in the working group’s regular meetings remotely via Zoom. Meeting announcements are posted on the state’s public meetings calendar.
The working group will submit its formal recommendations to the legislature prior to the 2025 legislative session. For more information about Mālama ʻOhana Working Group meetings, including meeting agendas and past meeting minutes, visit www.malamaohana.net.
Full list of members
Mālama ʻOhana is co-chaired by Venus Rosete-Medeiros, president and CEO of Hale Kipa, and Laurie Tochiki, executive director of EPIC ʻOhana. The full list of members with their working group seats and organizations, according to Act 86:
- Chiemi Davis – Lili‘uokalani Trust (designee)
- Stacy Ferreira – Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA)
- Daisy Hartsfield – Child Welfare Services Branch, Social Services Division (SSD), Hawai‘i Dept. of Human Services
- Kacie Lambert – former foster youth, EPIC ʻOhana and HI HOPES (Hawai’i Helping Our People Envision Success) Youth Leadership Board
- April Lum – licensed resource caregiver
- Melissa Mayo – former foster youth, EPIC ʻOhana and HI HOPES Youth Leadership Board
- Amanda Mundon – kinship resource caregiver, EPIC ʻOhana
- Kimberly Nabarro – birth parents, EPIC ʻOhana
- Kailene Nihipali-Sanchez – kinship resource caregiver, EPIC ʻOhana
- Elladine Olevao – Child Welfare Services Branch, Hawai‘i Dept. of Human Services
- Lisa Rapozo – Child Welfare Services Branch, Hawai‘i Dept. of Human Services
- Venus Rosete-Medeiros, co-chair – Hale Kipa
- Kayla Samson – birth parents, EPIC ʻOhana
- Dr. Scott Shimabukuro – Hawai‘i Trauma-Informed Care Task Force and Child & Adolescent Mental Health Division (CAMHD), Hawai‘i Dept. of Health
- Laurie Tochiki – co-chair; EPIC ʻOhana
- Paul Tonnessen – Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of Maui
- Kaʻano‘i Walk – Kamehameha Schools (designee)
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