Helping Maui Keiki and Families Heal

Quote by Ka'ina Bonacorsi, Maui County Early Childhood Resource coordinator

As Maui keiki and families are healing from the collective trauma of the devastating wildfires, many questions still remain. What will happen to the 250 child care spaces that have been lost? What will the long-term mental health impacts be on our youngest keiki? What family support programs are needed?

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, many local nonprofits have stepped up to provide immediate assistance, including Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawai’i, Imua Family Services, Kama’aina Kids, Maui Family Support Services, Maui Economic Opportunity, and PATCH. Organizations like these have been working tirelessly to ensure that the youngest keiki on Maui are taken care of and have a safe place to go while their families recover.

Ka’ina Bonacorsi, Maui County Early Childhood Resource coordinator, says a phased approach to recovery is key. While the focus has been on the immediate needs, like child care, securing funding for the long-term is going to be the critical next step. More than 30 partners who support and serve young children and families from prenatal to age eight, recently came together to identify priority programs and services that address the needs of young keiki and families on Maui. Together, in coordination with Maui Family Support Services, they submitted 29 service proposals for grant funding consideration. Commit to Keiki eagerly awaits the announcement of services selected for funding.

In the meantime, Commit to Keiki encourages families impacted by the Maui fires to apply for the state’s Child Care Subsidy Program. The Department of Human Services has made it easier for families to receive monetary assistance for child care by making temporary changes to the normal requirements. Less restrictions means more families are now eligible. The deadline to apply is October 31, 2023. (See flyer below for more information.)

As we move forward, it is critical that we prioritize the well-being of our youngest keiki and their families. By providing a strong network of support, we can help Maui families navigate the challenges ahead and help rebuild their lives.

State of Hawaii child care subsidiary informational flyer

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ACTION CENTER WELCOMES NEW CEO

Monique R. Ibarra, MSW

CEO of Domestic Violence Action Center (DVAC) in Honolulu

Join us in welcoming Monique R. Ibarra, MSW as the new chief executive officer for the Domestic Violence Action Center (DVAC) in Honolulu. Prior to this role, Ibarra served seven years as executive director at Ka Hale A Ka Ola Homeless Resource Centers on Maui.

Ibarra’s career journey began by working in social service areas such as substance abuse treatment programs for youth and child welfare services She was deputy director at a domestic violence agency, Women Helping Women, where she managed and operated a domestic violence emergency shelter.

Poignantly, her first nonprofit agency job helping victims, and survivors, of domestic violence was on Maui at the Domestic Violence Clearinghouse and Legal Hotline (now known as DVAC). As a previous recipient of domestic violence services herself, she was motivated to switch into a career and education track that helps others as she had been helped.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in social sciences from the University of Hawai’i West O’ahu and received her advanced Master in Social Work degree at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. She is an alumnus of the 2018 Weinberg Fellows program and a 2023 honoree for Women Who Mean Business award. Ibarra was the secretary of the Maui County Non-Profit Directors Association, vice chair for Maui Homeless Alliance, and Rotary Club member and past president of Wailuku Rotary Club.

OCTOBER IS

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH

Hands holding purple ribbon representing domestic violence awareness

For more than 35 years, the month of October has been designated Domestic Violence Awareness Month – a national effort to help raise awareness and understanding about the complex and costly problem impacting our families, neighbors, and communities. Domestic violence affects not only those who are directly involved, but also the innocent keiki who oftentimes become witness to the acts of violence in the home. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year, and 90% of these children are eyewitnesses to this violence.

Family Violence Prevention continues to be one of Commit to Keiki’s top three priorities because exposure to violence in the home can undermine the health of young keiki. These children are more likely to face unique challenges that can have long-lasting effects on their physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing, including learning difficulties, sleeping and eating disorders, long-term adverse health effects, substance abuse, and more. Preventing violence in the home is a key to healthy early childhood development.

To learn more about the current state of family violence in Hawai’i, take a look at the issue brief available on the Commit to Keiki website.

Issue Briefs