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.
Adoption Learning Partners Offer Webinar on FASD
In a webinar on Thursday, November 8, Dr. Ira Chasnoff will help parents sort through complications that may arise when raising a child who was exposed to drugs or alcohol before birth. The webinar will help parents:
- Understand the physical and developmental impact on their child
- Learn strategies and skills to help children develop to their maximum potential
Parents will also have an opportunity to ask questions. Learn more/register here.
Nurturing the Growth of Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Children and Youth
The Foster Care Training Committee, supported by the Hawaii Department of Human Services, hosted this training on August 30, 2012. The training presenters were:
- Stacia Ohira has worked in the field of social services for over ten years advocating for many different populations. She has experience working with at risk youth, inmate populations including sex offenders, and people who are living with HIV/AIDS. Currently she works with people who are living with HIV/AIDS who also have mental health issues as well as working with youth who have committed sex offenses.
- Kintaro Yonekura has experience as a co-facilitator and educator of LGBTQ workshops for local non-profit agencies. He is a Board of Directors member for the Life Foundation and is an active volunteer working with intermediate and high school youth providing HIV and AIDS awareness. He has also been a part of the foster care system since the age of four and struggled with drug addiction and abuse for many years before becoming clean and sober. He is currently working towards his Masters in Social Work at UH Manoa.
Because of the stigma and social pressures they face, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Questioning, Inter-sex Youth (LGBTQI) face higher risk for substance abuse, unsafe sexual practices and suicide. The support of a resource caregiver (aka foster parent), adoptive parent, social worker, GAL, CASA, judge and/or teacher can mean the difference between life and death for these youth.
When supporting youth, it is important to remember to value the person’s right to self-determine their sexual orientation. Do your best to learn as much as you can and keep learning. If every person is respected, our society benefits from our diversity.
For more insight, read The Transgender Child – A Handbook for Families and Professionals.
Below are the handouts from this training:
LGBTQI Community Based Organizations
Health and Mental Health of Young Adults Based on Levels of Rejections
Creating Welcoming Environments
Additional resources include:
Web Page with resources for Hawai`i
Suicide Prevention: You can help prevent suicide in your community by knowing how to ask about it, & knowing where to get help. Download Mental Health America’s free suicide prevention iPhone App today, ASK. Search under suicide prevention in App Store to get the ASK about suicide App to save a life with warning signs, how to ask & hotlines.
LGBTQI Personal Comfort Assessment Tool
Strategies for LGBTQ Educational Advocacy
Family Acceptance Project
Center for Mental Health Services ‘Helping Families Support Their Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Children
More Articles
Connecting With Your Teen
Your words and actions help the teen in your care feel secure. Don’t forget to say and show how much you care about your teen!
Dealing With Temper Tantrums
When the child in your care is having a floor-thumping tantrum, the most important thing you can do is remain calm and wait it out. Do not let your child’s behavior cause you to lose control, too.
April is National Child Abuse Awareness Month
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, there are five protective factors that serve as buffers for child maltreatment that are linked to a lower incidence of child abuse and neglect. They are: nurturing and attachment; knowledge of parenting and child and youth development; parental resilience; social connections, and concrete support for parents.