In 2018, nearly half of all families in Hawaii County were living in poverty or below the cost of living standard. COVID-19 only heightened this staggering statistic. It is something we collectively share a responsibility for, particularly on our island where the needs are often the greatest.
As a result of those needs, thousands of our keiki are at risk of shorter, less-healthy lives because their families — our neighbors, our extended ‘ohana — lack the basic resources to survive. A 2021 U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory study made plain that “socioeconomically disadvantaged keiki are two to three times more likely to develop mental health conditions than peers with higher socioeconomic status.”
This systemic injustice and inequity doesn’t simply affect those families or those keiki — it affects us all because our futures are bound tightly. We rise and fall together.
The lack of affordable health care, accessible child care, and adequate mental health services is a widespread, persistent challenge we all face, but that challenge falls particularly hard on those who already have so little to stabilize and nurture their families. Beyond the increasingly high costs of child care is a stunning lack of access, with capacity on Hawaii Island falling over 75% short of our needs.
Under Mayor Mitch Roth’s leadership, Hawaii Island has focused on closing these gaps and addressing the inequities through expanded partnerships, funding, and the hiring of Angela Thomas as the first early childhood resource coordinator in our county. Hawaii Island is pushing forward by:
— Addressing facility improvements in center- and family-based child care settings;
— Partnering with public and private sectors to develop employer-sponsored child care operations so that parents no longer have to choose between work and family;
— Developing recruitment techniques, such as scholarships and distance-learning opportunities, that increase the number of early childhood staff;
— Forming an islandwide working group to prioritize improving outcomes for our keiki while addressing issues that affect them and their families;
— Expanding the reach of literacy by using trusted providers to get more books into the hands of keiki and their families.
This level of progress demonstrates what is possible when community organizations and the private sector engage with effective public leadership. Yet, our island is but one community of a much larger and integrated statewide community, which is why we need a similar level of effective and engaged leadership from our next governor.
Commit to Keiki is a nonpartisan, statewide initiative that focuses on engaging with gubernatorial candidates to educate and encourage them to commit to three essential priorities:
(1) child care and early learning; (2) family violence prevention; and (3) early childhood mental health.
In a recent poll that Commit to Keiki conducted, nearly 88% of voters said they feel it is important that Hawaii’s next governor prioritize programs promoting economic stability for families as well as access to early care and learning programs.
That level of agreement among voters is encouraging and is a clear indication that we collectively recognize these needs as urgent challenges. Our communities’ health, safety and sustainability are bound inextricably with the future of our keiki, because they will inherit what we cultivate for them. We must do more to improve the development of their futures and to ensure they all have opportunities to learn, grow and live well.
Join us in the movement to ensure that our ‘ohana all have the capacity to thrive and raise keiki who are healthy. Learn more about what you can do, and what we call on our future leaders to do, at www.CommitToKeiki.com.
Dr. Sulma Gandhi is a health program officer at Stupski Foundation. Douglass Adams is director of Research &Development for Hawaii County.
