Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 22, Number 8, 1 August 2005 — Become a foster family today [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Become a foster family today

Editor's note: This monīh, Trustee Donald B. Cataluna shares his eolumn space wiīh Hawai'i Behavioral Healīh in īhe spiriī of community and puhlie service. Foster families change lives. There are many families in Hawai'i that extend their hearts and homes to children in need every day. Foster families provide nurturing and stable homes for maltreated children. Many families have found their experience in helping children to be one of the most fulfilling and rewarding of their life.

Hawai'i Behavioral Health PRIDE Program in collaboration with the state Department of Human Services is currently recruiting foster parents to care for Hawai'i's keiki. Mary Santos of Hawai'i Behavioral Health shares the need. There is an incredible need for loving, nurturing and committed families to extend themselves to our community's children. The number of maltreatment reports has increased by 30 percent over the last seven years and eaeh year the number of children entering the system increases. In 2004, there were almost 5,200 children in the Hawai'i foster care system.

Approximately 50 percent were of Hawaiian or part Hawaiian ancestry. Of these children, less than half were placed with Hawaiian or part Hawaiian families There are children in foster care ranging from one day old to 18 years of age. The greatest need in the state is for temporary foster families to care for infants, teenagers and sibling groups. The PRIDE Program's purpose is to recruit families interested in providing foster care, to train the families to be prepared to care for children who have been exposed to an array of challenges and assess the capability

of eaeh family to commit to loving and healing children who have experienced loss, grief and trauma. If you have any questions, are interested in becoming a foster parent or ean help share this message with others, please eall Hawai'i Behavioral Health for more information. Oahu: 454-2570 Maui: 871-8418 Hawai'i: 935-7949 Kauai: 246-9102 Together, we ean make a difference.

Donald B. Cataluna Trustee, Kaua'i and Ni'ihau