Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 6, Number 3, 1 Malaki 1989 — Plan Promotes Economic, Social Well-being [ARTICLE]

Plan Promotes Economic, Social Well-being

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs recently published its revised master plan in late 1988. It contains amended goals, objectives and policies to guide the agency in its overall mission of bettering the conditions of the Hawaiian people. Ka Wai Ola O OHA is publishing major portions of the plan in several installments. In this third part, we will publish the second of OHA's four goals and its specific objectives and policies. "The OHA Master Plan," Part III of a Series GOAL 2: To provide opportunities for Hawaiians to enhanee their social and eeonomie well-being. The critical element in this goal is for Hawaiians to be able to take advantage of services available in the State that may help to improve their social and eeonomie well-being. This involves removing barriers that prevent Hawaiians from having the freedom to choose among the range of options that should be available to them and to all people of Hawai'i. Some of these barriers are institutional or structural. They may have their origin in prejudices whieh may be related to, historical circumstances. It is particularly important that barriers be eliminated for Hawaiians who have greater physical, social, educational, and eeonomie needs than those of the average resident of Hawai'i. For example, Hawaiians have the lowest life expectancy; highest infant mortality; highest incidence of cancer; higher rates of personality disorders and mental retardation; higher suicide rates and incidence of alcoholism; higher rates of poverty and incarceration; higher participation rates in social welfare programs; lower academic achievement; higher rates of truancy and dropouts; and significantly higher unemployment than other residents of the State. OBJECTIVE 2.1 To promote and assist fulfillment of basic physical and mental health needs of Hawaiians so that in 10 years, the percentage of Hawaiians who seek and do not receive health care is reduced from 18% to 10%. Policy 2.1.a Suppiy OHA beneficiaries with information on all public and private programs that provide health services, using an effective method of information dissemination so that in five years, all Hawaiians ean receive such information. Policy 2.1.b Assist private and public health care providers and agencies to become more aware of and responsive to the needs of Hawaiian clients in a manner that the client finds accommodating and acceptable so that in five years, 90% of the Hawaiians are satisfied with the service they receive. Policy 2. l.e Improve the availability, accessibility, and effectiveness of private and public heahh care providers and agencies by supporting development of new programs and improvement or expansion of existing programs whieh address the health needs of OHA beneficiaries so that in five years, the percentage of Hawaiians who seek and do not receive health care is reduced from 18% to 14%. Policy 2.1.d Assess the policies and practices of health agencies impacting on native Hawaiians and Hawaiians, and conduct advocacy efforts for them so that in five years, 25% of health programs are evaluated. Policy 2.1.c Assist and encourage medical research on health issues that affect Hawaiians so that in five years, OHA is involved in at least three research efforts in areas such as cancer and diabetes. OBJECTIVE 2.2 To promote opportunities for Hawaiians to obtain safe, sanitary, and livable housing in environments that accommodate the

needs and desires of families and individuals so that in 10 years, the percentage of Hawaiians who seek and do not receive housing services is reduced from 25% to 15?4. Policy 2.2. a Supply OHA beneficiaries with information on all public and private programs that provide housing, using an effective method of information dissemination so that in five years, all Hawaiians ean receive such information. Policy 2.2.b Assist private and public housing agencies to become more aware of and responsive to the needs of Hawaiian clients in a manner that the client finds accommodating and acceptable so that in five years, 90% of the Hawaiians are satisfied with the services they receive. Policy 2.2.c Improve the availability, accessibility, and effectiveness of private and public housing agencies by supporting development of new programs and improvement or expansion of existing programs whieh address the housing needs of OHA beneficiaries so that in five years, the percentage of Hawaiians who seek and do not receive housing services is reduced from 25% to 20%. Policy 2.2.d Assess the policies and procedures of housing agencies impacting on native Hawaiians and Hawaiians, and conduct advocacy efforts for them so that in five years, 25% of housing programs are evaluated. OBJECTIVE 2.3 To assist in improving social conditions of Hawaiians by addressing issues such as poverty, alienation, crime, and physical and substance abuse so that in 10 years, the share of Hawaiians in those undesirable social conditions decreases. Policy 2.3. a Supply OHA beneficiaries with information on all public and private programs that provide social services, using an effective method of information dissemination so that in five years, all Hawaiians ean receive such information. Policy 2.3.b Assist private and public social service agencies to become more aware of and responsive to the needs of Hawaiian clients in a manner that the client finds accommodating and acceptable so that in five years, 90% of Hawaiians are satisfied with the services they receive. Policy 2.3. e Improve the availability, accessibility, and effectiveness of private and public social agencies by supporting development of new programs and improvement or expansion of existing programs whieh address the social needs of OHA beneficiaries so that in five years, the percentage of Hawaiians who encounter barriers preventing them from receiving services is reduced by half. Policy 2.3.d Assess the policies and practices of social agencies impacting on native Hawaiians and Hawaiians, and conduct advocacy efforts for them so that in five years, 10% of those programs are evaluated. OBJECTIVE 2.4 To assure provision of a variety of educational opportunities to enable individuals to fulfill their needs, responsibilities, and aspirations so that in 10 years, Hawaiians are half-way to achieving parity in educational attainment. Policy 2.4. a Supply OHA beneficiaries with information on public and private programs that provide education services, using an effective method of information dissemination so that in five years, all Hawaiians ean receive such information. Policy 2.4.b Supply OHA beneficiaries with information on educational financial aid so that in five years, all Hawaiians ean receive such information.

Policy 2.4. e Assist private and public agencies that provide education services to become more aware of and responsive to the needs of Hawaiian students in a manner that the student finds aeeommodating and acceptab!e so that in five years, satisfaction with services received increases. Policy 2.4.d Improve the availability, accessibility, and effectiveness of private and public agencies by supporting development of new programs and improvement or expansion of existing programs whieh address the educational needs of OHA beneficiaries. Policy 2.4.e Assure that public and private agencies that provide education services, both whose mandate is to serve Hawaiians and those whose mandate is to serve the broader eommunity, effectively address the educational needs of Hawaiians so that in five years, OHA is monitoring major educational agencies. Policy 2.4.f Foster educational choices of Hawaiians by supporting a variety of educational opportunities so that in five years, the number of types of programs in whieh OHA is involved increases by 20%. Policy 2.4.g Promote and preserve Hawaiian language, literature, culture, and history in public and private schools so that in five years, OHA is assisting schools in developing a Hawaiian education plan. OBJECTIVE 2.5 To assure opportunities for eeonomie self-sufficiency and ehoiee in the manner of providing for self and family. Policy 2.5.a Supply OHA beneficiaries with information on all public and private programs that provide eeonomie services, using an effective method of information dissemination so that in five years, all Hawaiians who desire such information ean receive it. PoIicy 2.5.b Assist private and public eeonomie development agencies to become more aware of and responsive to the needs of Hawaiian clients in a manner that the client finds accommodating and acceptable so that in five years, at least 75% of Hawaiian clients are satisfied with services received. Policy 2.5. e Improve the availability, accessibility, and effectiveness of private and public eeonomie development agencies by supporting development of new programs and improvement or expansion of existing programs whieh address the eeonomie development needs of OHA beneficiaries so that in five years, the percentage of Hawaiians unable to receive these services is no greater than 25%. Policy 2.5.d Assure that public and private eeonomie development agencies, both whose mandate is to serve Hawaiians and those whose mandate is to serve the broader community, effectively address the eeonomie development needs of Hawaiians so that in five years, OHA is monitoring those agencies that have a major impact on eeonomie development opportunities for Hawaiians. Policy 2.5.e Foster and facilitate the eeonomie and self-sufficiency aspirations of Hawaiians, including production and marketing of cultural products.

O ka mea ukuhi ka i 'ike i ka lepo o ka wai; o ka mea inu 'a'ole 'oia i 'ike. He who dips knows how dirty the water is, but he who drinks does not. He who does the work knows what trouble it takes; he who receives does not. From: " 'O/e/o No'eau: Hawaiian Prouerbs & Poeiieal Sayings," Bishop Museum Press.