It Takes an 'Ohana
Hawaii's Foster Care ResourceIt Takes an ‘Ohana is a program of Family Programs Hawaii. We provide the latest news in foster care and updates to Hawaii’s child welfare laws. For more information on foster care and strengthening families in Hawaii, visit our main website by clicking the button below.
Finding a Therapist
Resource families tell us often that they need a list of therapists that shows the type of therapy, insurance accepted and location of therapists. Here is a good resource for that: therapists.psychologytoday.com. We have found the site to be easy to use and hope you do, too.
Agreement Reached on Foster Care Reimbursement Rate
The Department of Human Services and Hawaii Appleseed have come to an agreement that provides more monetary support each month for the care of foster youth, along with a higher clothing allowance! This will also provide former foster youth in either the Imua Kakou or Higher Education programs a higher monthly stipend. Our hats go off to all who worked to make this come to be.
There still may be need of advocacy on this issue as the settlement requires court approval and funding for the settlement requires a legislative appropriation. Sign up with ITAO’s “Legislative Action” newsletter if you would like to lend a hand if the need arises.
Resource caregivers (foster parents) were reimbursed at the rate of $529 per month per foster child they cared for in Hawaii for 24 years. In 2014, the rates were adjusted into three tiers depending on the age of the child and were increased to the “Current Rates” shown below. The chart below also shows the rates increase via the lawsuit settlement, including the clothing allowance increase.
| Base Rate | Clothing | ||||||
| Child’s
Age |
1988 to
2013 |
Current
Rates |
Increase via
Settlement
|
Current
Rates |
Settlement
Amounts |
||
| 0 to 5 | $529 | $576 | $649 | $50 | $68 | ||
| 6 to 11 | $529 | $650 | $742 | $50 | $69 | ||
| 12+ | $529 | $676 | $776 | $50 | $86 | ||
The settlement also calls for:
- Retroactive payments to be made. For each foster child a family each month, the family will get $35, capping out at 12 months–so max recovery per child of $420.
- DHS to request increases every time inflation rates increase by 5% since the last adjustment.
Settlement will remain in place for 10 years, over which time the cumulative benefit will amount to close to $90m for foster children and their caregivers. Click here to learn more.
More Articles
Oahu, Kona and Maui Teen Days Scheduled !
Teen Days are celebrations for youth that provide current and former foster youth an opportunity to hear inspiring, motivational stories that come from young adults who were once at-risk youth, meet other foster youth and learn about community resources that can help them as they begin planning a bright future. Many Teen Days also include a mock hearing to prepare youth for attending their court hearings and allows them to meet and talk with Family Court judges. Follow link for more information, dates, locations and times of the upcoming Teen Days.
Please Help Make the Adoption Tax Credit Refundable
Surveys show that when 20 or more constituents call a national legislator’s office about the same issue, that issue becomes a high priority for that legislator. Please add your voice to the needs of families who help make the world a better place by adopting children from foster care! Follow link to learn more and MAHALO for caring!
“Bridging the Gap” Workshop Handouts
At the Bridging the Gap training presented by nationally renowned speaker Denise Goodman, resource families and service providers learned how building and maintaining relationships with birth families benefit children in foster care.
Follow link for handouts.