County Efforts

Updates as of March/April 2024

2024 Priorities

Hawai‘i County

Honolulu County

Infants and Toddlers
Talk-story sessions with child care providers to shape support for them
Enhanced community-based initiatives to connect families with early childhood resources
Implementation of family engagement programs for families experiencing residential instability
Fund development

Kaua‘i County

Renovations to the Pi‘ikoi Building (Old Big Save space) for use of the space for early childhood education
Support of LG Luke’s Ready Keiki initiative and hope for use of one of their upcoming affordable housing projects in Līhu‘e as a potential location for an ECE facility
Participation in the Keiki to Career Leadership Council

Maui County

Hawai‘i County
Updated March 2024

Early Childhood Resource Team has received employment commitment for the next three years
Preparing RFPs for ARPA funding distribution
Continue to meet with various groups to share Community Profile data on the status of young children and their families on Hawai‘i Island
Beginning to plan a third conference for September of 2024
Reach Out and Read continues to expand to more clinics across Hawai‘i County
Hawai‘i County is providing scholarships with Chaminade University and Hawai‘i Community College for ECE classes for Hawai‘i Island practitioners

Honolulu County
Updated April 2024

Jordana Ferreira was hired as the new Early Childhood Resource Coordinator, effective March 18
The Honolulu County Community Profile is under development and will be ready for the County advisory team to review mid-May
County priorities have been identified as follows:
- Infants and Toddlers
- Talk-story sessions with child care providers about what has been helpful to them during and post-COVID, and what supports theyʻd like to see continued or newly developed
- Enhance community-based initiatives to connect families with early childhood resources
- Implement family engagement programs for families experiencing residential instability
- Fund development
- Completion of Community Profile

Kaua‘i County
Updated March 2024

County of Kaua‘i Chief of Staff continues to work closely with Alanna Bauman, ECE System Coordinator from Kaua’i Planning & Action Alliance on Early Childhood priorities
The Kaua‘i ECE Conference was held on February 17, 2024
The Kaua‘i Parent & Child Fair will be on Saturday, April 13, 2024. There will be over 30 agencies providing important information about their programs, services, and safety precautions for infants, toddlers, preschool students, children with special needs, and kindergarten students living in Kaua‘i
The Kaua’i County Community Profile is under development and projected for completion in May

Maui County
Updated April 2024

The Maui County Early Childhood Resource Coordinator (ECRC) is a General Funded Position under the Department of Housing and Human Concerns
The FY24 budget was increased to just over 2 million dollars for EC programs. For FY25 a flat budget was submitted. Focus areas of funding are:
- Early Childhood Workforce Development;
- Early Childhood Family Literacy;
- Family Support Services including the Early Childhood Resource Center;
- Subsidy Assistance for Childcare; and
- Parent Education
Implemented the Reach Out and Read program at six sites and will soon expand to three more sites
Wildfires on Maui significantly impacted Maui residents. 275 licensed child care seats were lost. Recent numbers show that just under 200 keiki under age five remain in non-congregate (converted hotel) shelters
By Maui County ECRC request, ECAS provided backbone support to request funding as the umbrella organization for the SERG grant because the turnaround time was too short; ECAS also requested a position from HCF to support the County Coordinator
Currently one Headstart classroom (20 preschool seats) has reopened in Lahaina, with a few more targeted to open in August. Two infant-toddler classrooms are targeted to open in April