Community Pages - Hawaii
Initiative Co-Investment Partners: the Geist Foundation, the Hawaii Community Foundation, the Kaneta Foundation, the Atherton Family Foundation, the McInerny Foundation, and the Department of Human Services.
EPIC 'Ohana began in Honolulu in 1996 as a collaborative effort by the Family Court, the Department of Human Services-Social Services Division and the Wai'anae community on the island of O'ahu. 'Ohana conferencing is a Polynesian model of problem solving developed by the Maori people in New Zealand to better address issues of child abuse and placement of children in foster care. In 2004 EPIC also began offering E Makua Ana Youth Circles, a youth-driven, strength-based and solution-focused process that draws on a youth's support system to generate options and resources to support the youth's goals and informed decision making. In 2007 EPIC developed and implemented Family Findings and Family Connections services to find, engage, nurture and support family connections for children and youth in foster care. EPIC 'Ohana provides services statewide, with staff on O'ahu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawai'i Island.
Contact: Arlynna Livingston, Executive Director
EPIC 'Ohana, Inc.
1130 Nimitz Highway Ste. C-210
Honolulu, Hawai'i 98617
808.838.1261
Policy:
The Hawaii Department of Human Services has received a federal Family Connections grant that will allow them to build on their strong tradition of Ohana (family) Conferencing by increasing family finding and connections to two new populations of children and youth. The Early Ohana Connections will revisit family connections and permanency options for children and youth in long-term foster care who do not currently have permanent legal or emotional family connections.
EPIC has been instrumental in developing, piloting, and implementing Ohana Conference (1996), Youth Circles (2004), and Family Finding (2007). Over the past 10 years, they have also trained both governmental and non-profit agency staff in services that divert children and families from the courts, and assist families already in the court system.
News and Events:
