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.
Improving Children’s Behavior: Re-energizing the Traumatized Brain in Children
During the Spring of 2012, `Oahu was lucky to have Dr. Steven Choy teach tips & strategies that can help us know how to:
1. Identify effects of trauma on the development of children,
2. Develop strategies to assist children in overcoming the effects of trauma and improve behavioral and emotional functioning,
3. Developing environment to promote healthy development and more.
Dr. Steven J. Choy is a clinical psychologist who has specialized in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of child maltreatment for over 30 years. He has studied the impact of child maltreatment trauma on the development of children and its impact on their social behavioral and emotional development. He has work with numerous children in foster care and resource/foster parents to facilitate healthy development. He also specializes in assessing and servicing individuals with developmental disabilities and serves as the Psychology Consultant for the Hawaii Juvenile Drug Court.
This training was sponsored by the Foster Care Training Committee & the Hawai`i Department of Human Services.
Click on this link to download Dr. Choy’s handout, Improving Behaviors in Children.
Click here to see the handout provided at the training by ITAO, Supporting Maltreated Children.
Mental Health Needs of Children Who Have Been in Foster Care Explored
I was very pleased to find the winter 2012 newsletter of the Children, Youth, and Families Office of the American Psychological Association with several articles about the mental health needs of children and youth who have experienced foster care. I was privileged to talk with several groups of resource caregivers (formerly referred to as foster parents), guardians and adoptive parents through out Hawai`i in 2011. According to them, one of the biggest issues they are having is finding help with the mental health issues that the children in their homes face. This newsletter highlights the issues while providing some guidance on how to help. Click here to read the newsletter.
More Articles
A Guide to Child Welfare Services-Oahu
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Adoption Assistance Available to More Children
Many children previously ineligible for adoption assistance now qualify due to a change in DHS procedures.
Audit of the Foster Board Payment Program
This audit assesses the progress made on the recommendations of the 1994 audit. The audit found areas of improvement as well as some continued areas...