Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 12, 1 Kekemapa 1997 — Final passage of federal funding for Hawaiians [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Final passage of federal funding for Hawaiians

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Fiscal Year 1998 Labor, Heahh and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill recently received Congressional approval and it will now be transmitted to the White House for President Clinton's signature. The bill includes $18 million for Native Hawaiian Education and $3.1 million for Native Hawaiian health programs. "I am very pleased that Congress concurred with my request for an increase of 17% in funding for Native Hawaiian Education over the Fiscal Year 1997 funding level," said Senator Daniel K. Inouye. In 1988. Senator Inouye was instrumental in the passage of the Native Hawaiian Education Act, whieh sought to raise the educational status of Native Hawaiians through the provision of supplemental programs and services for eunieulum development. pre-schools, gifted and talented. special education, and higher education. In 1994, the Act was amended and expanded to include a community-based learning centers component, a eunieulum development, teacher training and recruitment eomponent, and the establishment of a Native Hawaiian Education Council and individual Island Councils. Over the last four years, nearly $31.5 million have

been provided for these Native Hawaiian education programs, whieh have served thousands of children and their families. The Congress approved $3. 1 million for Papa Ola Lōkahi and Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems to improve the health status of Native Hawaiians by making primary health care, health promotion, and disease prevention available to Native

Hawaiians. Passage of the Native Hawaiian Health Care Act inl988 established Papa Ola Lokahi (POL), an umbrella health service organization, and the Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems (NHHCS). POL is mandated to address the health status of Native Hawaiians through the coordination, training, and provision of technical assistance to the NHHCS and through research, demonstration projects, and other activities. The NHHCS provides direct services to Native Hawaiians in

need of different aspects of health care related service. Over the last four vears. POL and the NHHCS have been funded in the amount of $1 1 .835 million. At the request of Senator Inouye, $2 million was approved to expand the pilot program whieh provides training, education, employment, and entrepreneurial opportunities to improve the eeonomie and social health and welfare of rural communities on the Neighbor Islands and Alaska. The Congress recommended that community colleges be the focal point of these programs. In Fiscal Year 1997, Senator Inouye obtained $200,000 to improve training and employment opportunities for adults and youth on the Island of Lanai. Due to Lanai's isolated location and small population, access to job training limited. The Senate also approved $3 million for the American Samoan/Asian Pacific Job Training Program in Hawaii, $2 million plus for the medical care and treatment of persons with Hansen's Disease, and $500,000 for the University of Hawaii Center on the FamUy to develop policies and programs to strengthen the family. Aware of the severe dislocation brought on by the closure of McBryde Sugar Company, the Congress recommended that the Kauai Cooperative Extension Service provide agricultural and business training to those dislocated sugar workers. ■

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