Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 7, 1 July 1986 — Meets Some Chapter 10 Requirements [ARTICLE]

Meets Some Chapter 10 Requirements

Human Service Statewide Survey Completed

By Christine Vallies, Researcher The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has recently completed a three-year, federally funded survey of the human service programs in the state. Like the Populahon Survey/Needs Assessment that was also recently completed by OHA, this study is intended to meet some of the legislative requirements of Chapter 10, particularly to: — assist in the development of state and county agency plans for native Hawaiian and Hawaiian programs and services, — maintain an inventory of federal, state, county and private programs and services for native Hawaiians and Hawaiians and act as a clearinghouse and referral agency, — advise and inform federal, state, and county officials of native Hawaiian programs; and coordinate federal, state and county activities relating to native Hawaiians and Hawaiians, — develop and review models for comprehensive native Hawaiian and Hawaiian programs, — promote and assist the establishment of agencies to serve native Hawaiians and Hawaiians. The study was designed to collect information that will be used to: improve the availability of services necessary to meet the sociai, physical, educational and eeonomie needs of Hawaiians; make private and public agencies more aware of, and responsive to, the rights and needs of Hawaiians; increase the opportunities for Hawaiian self-sufficiency; and maintain a mechanism to coordinate public and private programs. This was done by identifying the number and type of human service programs available to Hawaiians, the location of these services, the geographic areas being provided specific services and the level-of-use of these services by Hawaiians. While this was being done, the Population Survey/Needs Assessment, whieh is reported elsewhere in this issue, was assessing the expressed needs of the Hawaiian people by interviewing Hawaiians throughout the state. Now, work begins on combining the results of these two studies. For the purpose of this study, a human service programs is one that provides either housing, employment, education, transportation, protection, health, social welfare, recreation and culture activities, or community service. Human service programs statewide were mailed a 12page questionnaire. The questionnaire requested a

description of the program's services and operations and the characteristics of the clients served by the program. Ultimately, 1,151 surveys were returned. The data from the questionnaires were computerized, allowing us to analyze the responses easier and to produce a directory of services for eaeh island (the directories for some of the islands have already been distributed). Determining the availability of services in geographic areas where there are large numbers of Hawaiians is one of the primary objectives of this survey. The geographic areas used in this study are: Kauai, Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Windward Oahu from Waimanalo to Hauula, the Waianae Coast, East Honolulu from Hawaii Kai to Nuuanu, West Honolulu from Nuuanu to Moanalua, the Central Oahu from Moanalua to the North Shore, including Ewa Beach, Makakilo, Mililani, Wahiawa and Waialua. Based on survey results, the largest percentage of programs are providing services in the areas of education (20%), social welfare (18%), health (17%), and recreation and culture (13%). The other types of programs are offered less frequently; protection (9%), employment and community service (8%), transportation (4%), and housing (3%). The largest number of programs in all nine service areas are located in East Honolulu, but a sizeable number of these programs provide their services statewide. Property owner assistance is the most frequently offered housing service; 46% of housing programs offer this service while 35% of the programs offer housing assistance such as rent subsidies and public housing. The primary providers of housing services are Hawaii Housing Authority, Real Property Tax Division, and the Loans and Homestead Services sections of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Services such as job training, vocational rehabilitation, and employment and training of the handicapped are offered by 61% of the programs providing employment related services. Eeonomie development (26%) is the second most frequently offered service. When it comes to education, basic education (provided by 63% of the programs) is by far the most frequently offered type of service. The lease frequently offered educational services are those that, according to the PS/NA study, are the most requested by Hawaiians, these being alternative education (4% of the programs) and Hawaiian studies (2% of the programs).

Services designed to meet the special transportation needs of students, the handicapped and the elderiy are offered by 77% of the programs that provide transportation services. Law enforcement and general protection are the largest categories of protection services, eaeh being provided by 35% of the protection programs statewide. General protection services include maintenance of vital records, issuance of permits, legal services and protection of natural resources. The most eommon health programs offered provide acute care (35%). This category includes medical, dental and mental health services. The next most frequent health care programs are those designed specifically for the elderly, maternal and infant care and ehildren; these comprise 22% of the health programs. Social welfare programs for people with special needs such as the elderly, youth, immigrants, refugees and veterans make up 52% of all social welfare programs. General recreation programs for youth and adults make up 31% of those offered statewide. Ethnic heritage (20%) and art (20%) are also frequently offered programs under the category of recreation and culture. Thirty-three percent of the programs that responded to the survey provided information about the clients they serve. On a statewide basis, the types of programs that reported serving the largest numbers of clients are education, health and social welfare. Of those clients whose ethnicity was reported, Caucasians are the largest group receiving services, followed by Hawaiians and Filipinos. On astatewide basis, Hawaiians were the group most reported to receive housing and socfal welfare service, and to participate in recreation and vulture and community service activities. Survey respondents were asked what they thought were their most effective and least effective approaches when working with Hawaiians. Most of the them said they treat Hawaiians no differently than their other elients. One approach reported to be most effective is using the one-to-one application. Using an impersonal, mass-delivery approach was reported to be least effective. Many service providers reported that sensitivity and respect for the Hawaiian culture are important to the effectiveness of their services. Many programs found that working with the client was more effective than providing service to the client.