In 2021, as pandemic effects seeped into everyday life, not only were university students struggling academically, they also encountered challenges with mental health.

Through a combination of state and non-profit support, Julie Mowrer, director of the (CCE) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, responded quickly to students’ malaise and put together a needs-based support program. The ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo connects students with community organizations to help them with network building and to stimulate self-esteem, academic and workforce skills and personal growth. It’s part of a dedicated to advancing higher education through universities engaging with their communities.

“The goal of the program is to provide students with a network of peers, mentors from the university, the community, and the wider Bonner network, offering connections and a web of support for students to lean on when challenges occur,” explained Mowrer.

Bonner students serve in the program for four years while being paid for more than 280 hours of work per year, which includes environmental work and service in the community. According to Mowrer, there’s a national focus on providing students with a more holistic educational experience, with more emphasis on ways to build students’ sense of belonging, connection with peers and developing a stronger sense of place.

Last April, students Devin Brown and Lavinia Manufekai collaborated with Hope Services Hawaiʻi to plan and cook a meal for 125 clients in shelters. They shared their Bonner program experiences at the on Oʻahu.

More funding needed

Funding for the program started from the aimed to support programs addressing the impact of the pandemic on students, families and educators across the state. ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ±á¾±±ô´Ç’s CCE was one of 31 recipients in the state to be awarded. The state funding concluded last October. Mowrer is now building philanthropic and ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ support to sustain the program.

Paving pathways

Bonner students complete capstone projects that incorporate community or environmental work. Amena Tep, who is earning degrees in and , is working with the Hawaiʻi Island mayor’s office and the National Alliance on Mental Illness to better integrate mental health resources and awareness into the Bonner Program itself.

“The goal of my capstone is for people to feel comfortable discussing mental health in the first place, which is something quite difficult to do,” explained Tep. “I want the Bonner Program to be a safe place for its students to talk as well as hopefully expanding this ideology campus-wide at some point.”

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo faculty mentor students for four years and serve as a support base as they consider different decisions and pathways through their academic journey.

—By Maisie Paulson, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo student

Sen. Mazie Hirono met with members of the , a network of support organizations that focus on maximizing the health, independence and engagement of Hawaiʻi’s older adults, for a roundtable conversation in October. The joint initiative between the University of Hawaiʻi at ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ Center on Aging and the was formed at the start of the pandemic and includes more than 150 partner organizations throughout the state.

Related: KÅ«puna Collective fosters collaboration, innovation for aging impact, April 2022

Hirono’s discussion focused on support issues for Hawaiʻi’s kÅ«puna, including food security, senior care workforce shortages, and the recently-passed Inflation Reduction Act, which will lower health care costs for the nearly 280,000 Hawaiʻi seniors who get their health care through Medicare. She also praised the KÅ«puna Collective on behalf of the community for their combined efforts.

“The KÅ«puna Collective came together at the start of the pandemic to meet the needs of kÅ«puna who weren’t able to take advantage of mass food distributions and vaccine initiatives,” she said. “The Collective was able to identify gaps in services and respond quickly by leveraging resources and justifying their needs to donors through careful data collection and analysis. When seniors across our state were struggling to afford food, this group came together to help make sure they had enough to eat, and it has continued working to support our seniors with access to vaccines, daily meals to meet their medical needs, digital resources and more.”

She added, “With the recently-passed Inflation Reduction Act, we’re also meeting the needs of our seniors by lowering the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs, and making sure seniors on Medicare can get the vaccines they need free of cost, thanks to a provision I authored.”

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ participants share experiences

Christy Nishita, interim director of the Center on Aging in the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health and a co-convener of the KÅ«puna Collective, was motivated by the event.

“It was a tremendous opportunity to meet with the senator, to share how the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Center on Aging plays a key role in co-convening the Collective, providing critical data and evaluation to support planning, the targeting of resources and assessing collective impact,” Nishita said. “IÊ»m excited for the opportunity for us to grow our efforts to continue supporting our kÅ«puna.”

Jenny Lee, a recent graduate of the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health, said “I was able to share how beneficial it was to get involved with the KÅ«puna Collective as a student, it opened my eyes to how our aging network works and how important it is to coordinate services around the needs of kÅ«puna.”

Other roundtable participants included Derrick Ariyoshi, county executive for the Elderly Affairs Division with the City and County of Honolulu; Lindsey Ilagan, Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute Kupuna Program Manager and co-convener of the KÅ«puna Collective; Michelle Cordero-Lee, Lanakila Pacific Meals on Wheels Program CEO; Kathy Wyatt, Hale Hauoli Adult Day Care Owner and Director; and En Young, executive director of the Pacific Gateway Center.

A new telehealth toolkit is helping to train the future healthcare workforce across the state. A $130,000 innovation grant supported the University of Hawaiʻi at ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ (NAWSON)’s creation of a telehealth training toolkit that is culturally appropriate, immersive and experiential for healthcare providers and students, so they can provide high quality team-based healthcare.

In April 2020, NAWSON was awarded an innovation grant from the the State of Hawaiʻi , as part of the federal CARES Act. NAWSON received one of 31 innovation grant awards encompassing STEM education, project-based learning opportunities and leadership development programs. NAWSON’s Telehealth Training grant was one of 11 ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ System GEER grants and was recently successfully completed.

Related: From aerospace to agriculture, grants to ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ programs for COVID responses

GEER aimed to fund innovative initiatives that address the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on students, families and educators across the state. Initiatives included creating digital equity, providing support for families and distance learning. The grants also supported continuing efforts to provide quality and impactful educational services and to support the ongoing function of schools and campuses.

NAWSON’s Deborah Mattheus and Lorrie Wong were co-principal investigators on the Telehealth Training GEER grant.

“Telehealth has emerged as an important tool for healthcare providers,” said Mattheus, Nancy Atmospera-Walch Professor in School Health and associate professor. “By educating nursing students, we can ensure that our graduates are prepared to function utilizing telehealth which can expand quality healthcare to the people of Hawaiʻi without expanding the cost.”

Mattheus and Wong accomplished four key deliverables:

• Developed a telehealth toolkit for five ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ System nursing programs: , , , and ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹. The toolkit is available online and includes: the basics of the telehealth process; training on how to write, facilitate and debrief a telehealth simulation; and pre-recorded telehealth simulation scenarios and videos related to behavioral health, pediatric illness, acute and chronic disease management for elderly; and women’s health.
• Purchased telehealth equipment and software licenses for the five ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ System nursing programs and provided training on use of the equipment.
• Trained nursing faculty at the five ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ System nursing programs on the implementation of the telehealth toolkit to optimize student learning.
• Evaluated the five ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ System nursing programs trainings.

“Our nursing program is always at the forefront of innovation and technology,” said Wong, interim associate dean for academic affairs, director of ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Translational Health Science Simulation Center and HMSA distinguished professor. “To ensure that our students are prepared for the ever-changing healthcare environment, we quickly integrated telehealth into our nursing curriculum. Telehealth aligns with the existing technology modalities already utilized in our program. We were quite fortunate to receive this grant and were pleased to purchase telehealth equipment and provide training to the other ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ nursing programs.”

Faculty at the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ System nursing programs are currently implementing the telehealth equipment and simulation trainings during the 2022–23 academic year. The dissemination of the telehealth equipment and the telehealth toolkit across the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ System programs allows for statewide training of the future healthcare workforce.

A new economics pathway for minority students between and the is being created with a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ was one of only 10 universities nationwide to receive a five-year grant to support underrepresented groups at vulnerable career transition points who are most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The NSF held the competition for minority-serving institutions in jurisdictions.

The project, “RII-BEC: Transcending Barriers to Success in Economics (TBSE) for Underrepresented Students: From COVID-Affected to Climate-Resilient,” aims to transfer 100 participants from disproportionately affected groups, including Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, Filipinos and women.

The Economics Bridge Program will encourage students to take enriched introductory courses at Kapiʻolani CC and qualify for tuition-free summer courses at the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ campus. Student peer mentors and ambassadors will personalize the pathway from an associate’s degree to a baccalaureate and to expedited graduate studies.

“In Hawaiʻi, the COVID-19 pandemic is having a disproportionate impact on Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and Filipino communities, and on women,” said Bob Franco, co-principal investigator and director of Kapiʻolani CC‘s Office for Institutional Effectiveness. “These four groups are also seriously underrepresented in the field of economics at the University of Hawaiʻi at ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹. At the same time, environmental challenges that are further exacerbated by climate change threaten these islands, wider Oceania and coastal communities in Asia and the Americas.”

Indigenous economics

TBSE adopts the concept of “Indigenous economics” to contextualize economics coursework and provides student support services drawing on earlier NSF projects and previous federal investment in minority-serving programs. TBSE also leverages educational and research expertise at the two campuses.

“Economics has given me so many opportunities to make a difference in this world,” said Co-Principal Investigator Denise Eby Konan, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ dean of the and economics professor. “We need to expand our frameworks to include Indigenous and feminist knowledge and perspectives. This collaboration with Kapiʻolani Community College will provide a national model for economics education and draw in students who previously had not considered this major.”

Active learning, peer mentoring, engaged research and internship opportunities will enhance the urgency and relevance of economics coursework so that students can embrace and ameliorate the challenges of biocultural restoration (restoring relationships between Indigenous people and their places) and climate resilience in their neighborhoods, communities, regions and world. The project will promote the progress of science by connecting key concepts and practices from Indigenous science and gender inclusion with economics curricula, instruction and research.

The project will also serve the national interest by diversifying Hawaiʻi’s workforce, amplifying Indigenous voices and values, and promoting biodiversity conservation and mixed economy and community enterprise models that contribute to nutrition, health, well-being, climate resilience, income generation and prosperity for all American households.

Telehealth has emerged as a vital resource during the COVID-19 pandemic. Expanding and improving telehealth opportunities across the Pacific was one of the topics at a conference hosted by the University of Hawaiʻi at ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹.

The 2022 U.S. Affiliated Pacific Island Countries & Territories (USAPICT) Telehealth Workshop was presented by the (PBTRC) in the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ in August. The conference welcomed participants from American Samoa, Chuuk, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Palau.

“Telehealth is a new norm in health care; together we have to navigate these changes, opportunities, share lessons, resources and information, and focus on low hanging fruit and keep the momentum going,” said Christina Higa, co-director of PBTRC.

Representatives from public hospitals and health agencies in the USAPICT were joined by technical specialists and subject matter experts to engage in rooted discussions about the following topics:

• Successes, needs and opportunities in telehealth
• Develop goals and objectives for short-, medium- and long-term initiatives
• Receive hands-on training on technology
• Learn various models and modalities for service delivery
• Recap policy and legislation needs
• Hear examples of innovative telehealth programs during and post-pandemic

Various success stories were shared, including the Guam Memorial Hospital Authority tele-intensive care unit connecting off-island intensivists for around-the-clock care and provider-to-provider consultation through the Swinfen Telemedicine Network for the Kosrae Community Health Center. Participants also received brief hands-on training of various technologies available for telehealth at the at the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ .

Like other sectors steering towards a post-pandemic norm, the three-day workshop focused on reconnecting, resetting, reengaging and rebuilding a way forward for accessing health care and services through telehealth in the Pacific.

The 2022 USAPICT Telehealth Workshop was a sequel to the 2016 USAPI Telehealth Champion Building and Planning Workshop, which focused on fostering a critical mass of stakeholders and telehealth champions in the USAPI.

For more, visit .

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Childhood Immunization Champion Award has been given to Lee Buenconsejo-Lum of the University of Hawaiʻi at ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s (JABSOM). She is among 28 immunization advocates across the country chosen for outstanding efforts to promote immunization.

The Association of Immunization Managers hosts the annual award, and selects one winner from participating states, territories and the District of Columbia.

Buenconsejo-Lum, who is the associate dean for academic affairs and director of graduate medical education at JABSOM, is recognized for her work to increase HPV vaccine uptake and promote the continuation of Hepatitis B birth dose vaccinations.

“Dr. Lee Buenconsejo-Lum and her other team members have worked hard in the establishment of island-specific Comprehensive Cancer Control plans for the U.S. Associated Pacific Islands. The work she has put forth to engage, provide guidance and serve as a mentor has been so important for the island’s hard work in this area,” stated officials from the Hawaiʻi Immunization Coalition.

Buenconsejo-Lum has also been heavily involved in the university and state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She served as a consultant to the Hawaiʻi Departments of Health and Education to provide information on COVID-19 vaccination, volunteered as co-chair for the COVID-19 Vaccination Medical Advisory group in Hawaiʻi, and co-led the establishment of a COVID-19 vaccination POD (point of dispensing) at the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ campus to allow students working in healthcare facilities get vaccinated as part of their coursework, among other numerous efforts.

She was recently honored with the 2021 “Women Who Mean Business” Award from Pacific Business News and the 2022 Willard Wilson Award for Distinguished Service from the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Board of Regents.

The (HiPAM) was recognized by the Kauaʻi County Council for their “outstanding contributions to Kauaʻi and to the State of Hawaiʻi in addressing the formidable challenges poised by the COVID-19 pandemic.” HiPAM members included University of Hawaiʻi researchers and community professionals in epidemiology, data science, healthcare and others who adapted tools that inform decision making and planning to help improve lives and public health in Hawaiʻi.

The certificate of honor stated, “The Kauaʻi County Council extends its sincere appreciation to HiPAM and its many volunteers who tirelessly work to provide much needed information specific to HawaiÊ»i for the health and safety of our community.”

• Read more ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ News stories on HiPAM.

HiPAM members worked in a voluntary capacity using professional expertise to best help to minimize the disruptions and maximize the health and economic benefits of pending policy decisions. They developed models that assisted decision makers in understanding how different variables and indicators could potentially impact the spread of COVID-19 in a specific region of the state. The purpose of a model was to see how the variables might result in various outcomes based on certain policy frameworks.

“HiPAM members are grateful and honored for the council’s recognition of the value and importance of HiPAM. Our goal has always been to provide the most accurate information to the public and policymakers to make the best possible decisions,” said Victoria Fan, founder and chair of HiPAM, who has served as an associate professor of health policy in the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ College of Social Sciences’ .

Monique Chyba, HiPAM mathematician and professor of in the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ College of Natural Sciences, added, “HiPAM demonstrated the best of how university partnerships can be relevant to the real world and innovative during a time of crisis.”

Although HIPAM’s models are meant to serve as one of many tools for decision makers, its models have been useful to Hawaiʻi because they captured local cluster data, risk of infection from incoming travelers, and demographic make-up, all of which are specific to the islands.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ College of Social Sciences’ Dean Denise Konan said, “The university is an amazing resource that, when harnessed skillfully, can provide and communicate valuable information in the service of the whole community.”

HiPAM closed in June 2022. HiPAM was supported by several sources including the Hawaiʻi Data Collaborative, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ Provost’s Office, National Science Foundation, Hawaiʻi Department of Health and the Hawaiʻi Department of Defense.

About 50 keiki under the age of 5 received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic hosted by the University of Hawaiʻi at ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ Children’s Center (ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½MCC) and on June 24. The event was held one week after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave emergency use authorization for children ages 6 months through 5 years to receive the vaccine to help prevent the spread of the virus.

The clinic was held on the grounds of the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ College of Education’s Castle Memorial Hall and was open to anyone eligible to receive a shot between the ages of 6 months to 90 years of age. A total of 100 shots of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine were given during the clinic.

“Like all high-quality group child care facilities, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½MCC has been partnering with enrolled families to control the spread of infectious diseases,” said Jeffrey Bock, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½MCC education coordinator and acting director. “The COVID pandemic has continued to be a long and difficult battle, and the final emergency approval by the CDC for children 6 months to 5 years of age has been a long awaited blessing.”

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½MCC enrolls children ages 2 to 5 years, and has provided child care to parenting students of ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ and its faculty and staff since 1987. As more vaccines are administered to the 5 and under age group, the center plans to adjust their response to COVID-19 exposure.

“Now, instead of closing a classroom, which limits access to affordable child care, we are able to continue to offer child care to those unexposed and who have some level of immunity,” Bock added.

According to local child care experts with the Early Childhood Action Strategy, the pandemic has highlighted the important role child care plays in enabling parents to work and the instability of child care businesses. In 2019, an estimated 64,066 children ages 0-5 were in need of child care with only 20,157 spots available for children at licensed/registered child care providers in 2021. Additionally, more than 3,600 child care spaces have been lost due to pandemic-related challenges. Support to sustain the state’s child care sector to improve children and families’ access to high-quality services is essential.

Bock noted that the vaccines will help open child-care seats, but, “it will be a long struggle to get back to where we were, let alone where we should be.”

A second vaccination clinic is scheduled for July 22. For more information on how to pre-register, email uhmcc@hawaii.edu.

Wearing face masks in classrooms, shared laboratories, other instructional spaces and tightly confined educational spaces (such as advising offices), will continue to be required at all University of Hawaiʻi campuses for the 2022 summer sessions. Following the increase in COVID-19 cases across the state, the continuation of existing masking requirements was recommended by ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ medical and public health experts and the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Health and affirmed by ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Officers and administration officials on all campuses. A decision on whether the requirement will remain in place for the fall 2022 semester is expected by mid-August.

Please continue to follow the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ COVID-19 Guidelines during the summer sessions. If you test positive for COVID-19 and have been on campus, immediately contact your campus COVID-19 Response Team (contact info for each ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ campus). Instructors can also inform the CRT with contact information of an individual. The ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ System follows the (PDF).

Do not report to a ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ campus or facility if any of these apply:

• You tested positive for COVID-19 and are on home isolation.
• You have new or worsening symptoms that could be COVID-19 and not attributable to a pre-existing condition.
• You are immunocompromised and are a close contact of a COVID-19 positive individual.
• You are not “up to date” with your vaccines and are a close contact of a COVID-19 positive individual. “Up to date” means you have received all COVID-19 vaccine doses for which you are eligible, e.g., the initial two shots and a booster.
• You must isolate for 5 days after the date of last exposure and may return on day 6 if you have not had a fever within the past 24 hours and your symptoms are significantly improved. When you return to campus, you must wear a well-fitted mask at all times and not eat or drink around others until the full 10 days have passed.
• You are subject to government-issued or a healthcare provider’s orders to quarantine.

The University of Hawaiʻi at ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ Center on Aging in the played a significant role in supporting the tens of thousands of residents in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in September 2020, (Coordinated Access Resource Entry System), a free 24/7 call center that connects individuals to mental health crisis resources and substance use disorder treatment and recovery services, enhanced its coordination efforts to respond to thousands of requests from residents, including aid with isolation and quarantine, testing, food assistance, social services and more.

Our staff have served as the comfort and safety net for our community to call during the uncertain times of the COVID-19 pandemic
—Leocadia Conlon

Through a partnership with the Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) Behavioral Health Administration that began in 2019, the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa and the (RCÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½) ramped up staffing to respond to the surge in call volume in August 2020. The increase in ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ staffing enabled the call center to respond to more than 130,000 calls in 2020, a 50% uptick in call volume since 2019, resulting from economic, social and psychological stressors of the pandemic. The call volume in 2020 was the highest the call center had received since 2015.

At its peak, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ provided a workforce of 50 staff, more than 15 student employees in health and social disciplines, and hired clinical director Leocadia Conlon to coordinate an integrated call center aligned with national guidelines and develop vital partnerships with community and healthcare organizations.

“Our staff have served as the comfort and safety net for our community to call during the uncertain times of the COVID-19 pandemic that magnified behavioral health concerns,” said Conlon. “The call volume demonstrates the need in our community, and our staff have been there to respond by taking on these additional duties.”

Achievements

• In 2019, prior to the pandemic, the launch of Hawaiʻi CARES was the state’s , which enabled timely and convenient access to treatment. Previously, limited availability for individuals needing treatment made it challenging for clients, case managers and justice system officers.
• In July 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, Hawaiʻi CARES created a one-stop shop that placed callers for both mental health and substance use. It consolidated activities with the suicide crisis line, serving as the Hawaiʻi Chapter for the National Suicide Prevention Line. Clients presenting mental health and substance use disorder conditions were able to get access to all services, which were enhanced as a result of call operators being cross trained in both areas. Hawaiʻi became a in behavioral health by following best practices by the .
• From August 2020 to September 2021, at the request of DOH, Hawaiʻi CARES agreed to coordinate in Honolulu for those who could not safely isolate at home due to COVID-19. From August to December 2020, Hawaiʻi CARES processed:
  • 4,126 total requests for isolation and quarantine, testing, food assistance and/or other services, with 3,248 individuals receiving at least one of these services
  • 1,726 of the 2,224 individuals requesting external isolation or quarantine were placed by Hawaiʻi CARES into an isolation/quarantine facility

The ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ operations will cease at the end of March 2022. However, Hawaiʻi CARES will continue to provide support services for crisis and substance use disorder treatment access through DOH.

“It has been a great privilege to serve the state through an essential call center. I want to thank all of our partners and supporters including RCÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½. We’re especially grateful for our care coordinators in Hawaiʻi CARES who went over and above the call of duty, serving in countless overtime shifts when calls kept flooding in,” said Victoria Fan, associate professor in the Center on Aging and principal investigator of Hawaiʻi CARES.

She added, “Aging and mental health are central to the COVID response; they are not separate. We’re proud of ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½â€™s role during the past three years. Whenever we were asked for help, we stepped up. We stepped up to meet the unprecedented volume of calls from Hawaiʻi residents during this time of crisis.”

Benefits of integrated call center

According to Fan, there were benefits of ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ running an integrated behavioral health call center providing managed care and care coordination. ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ workforce development is crucial for training the next generation of integrated teams in health and social services. ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ also provided expertise in several key areas, including clinical operations and training, IT, communications technology, data science and evaluation.

The need for integration of care for behavioral health is more important than ever due to the persisting psychological and economic impacts of the pandemic. “The University of Hawaiʻi provided the expertise and support needed for our staff to take on new responsibilities and to ensure continuous quality improvement to meet the needs of our community,” said Sasha Farmer, a Hawaiʻi CARES Continuum of Care Manager with more than 20 years of behavioral health expertise.

“Our team worked hard to improve and ensure services align with the changing needs of the community and national guidelines for best practice in behavioral health crisis care,” Conlon added. “I cannot say enough about the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ call center team staff who served tirelessly on the front lines of Hawaiʻi CARES, and their dedication to our community.”

Related ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ News stories:

• Hawaiʻi first to integrate behavioral health, homelessness, April 23, 2020
• DOH, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ release infographic report, data dashboard on COVID-19 support services, January 19, 2021
• New behavioral health dashboard to help improve care, services, May 10, 2021

Elarie Ranido knew she wanted a career in a health field, even as a young child. After moving from the Philippines to Hawaiʻi at age 10, she encountered bullying at school because her primary language was Ilokano. That experience encouraged her to help others in the Filipino community who faced language barriers.

Now, the University of Hawaiʻi at ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ senior is pursuing a double major in and .

“There are a lot of health issues in the Filipino community, and I want to use my knowledge of health, as well as Filipino language and culture to make an impact,” Ranido said.

I want to use my knowledge of health, as well as Filipino language and culture to make an impact.
—Elarie Ranido

Other students share the same goal. When Denise Nelson-Hurwitz, the chair of the undergraduate public health program at ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ in the , looked at her list of students with multiple majors, the most common major students had declared alongside their public health major was Philippine Language and Culture.

“It’s incredibly impressive that these students pursue both of these rigorous programs,” Nelson-Hurwitz said. “The public health workforce in Hawaiʻi benefits enormously from these hardworking and multi-talented students, and our program is proud to empower them with the education and preparations to make an impact in their communities.”

According to Nelson-Hurwitz, recent research has shown, in the time of COVID-19 when racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to become sick or hospitalized, this new workforce who is representative of the increasingly diverse communities they serve is especially critical and having a positive influence.

Helping family members navigate health care

For Ranido, her experiences after moving to Hawaiʻi opened her eyes to the importance of in-language communication. Ranido saw her grandparents’ mistrust of the health care system, and their discomfort when they had to go to a doctor who didn’t speak their language.

Similarly, for Allen Oamil, who is pursuing multiple majors in public health and Filipino, the experience of moving to Hawaiʻi at age 12 and translating for his parents during their many doctor appointments motivated him to work toward promoting healthy lifestyles for Filipino communities.

“I like the idea of promoting interventions to whole communities,” Oamil said.

He spoke Ilokano growing up and is taking Tagalog classes at ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½. One of Oamil’s goals is to promote the idea of taking small steps toward better health.

“There are so many things to do—exercise, eat healthy food, manage stress—and in Filipino communities, people have a traditional mindset and think they have to commit to large changes,” he said. “But you don’t have to run a marathon, just go for a walk. Filipino food is fatty and oily, but we can skip the red meat sometimes. I want to promote interventions that are accessible.”

Alumni supporting their communities

Recent graduate Jairah Mae Pascual earned multiple majors in public health and Ilokano, and now works at a startup that identifies health and social service needs of older adults and connects them with resources.

When Pascual moved to Hawaiʻi from the Philippines, she noticed that doctors’ offices and clinics usually provided papers after each appointment that explained medications or gave instructions for follow ups.

“But Filipino culture is very verbal—we like to talk,” Pascual said. “When we’re given a stack of papers to fill out, it can be overwhelming.” One of her goals is to increase the recognition of the importance of providing in-language verbal communication with patients and communities.

Meldrick Ravida recently graduated with his bachelor’s degree in public health and Filipino, and is now pursuing a master of public health at ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹. Ravida was born and raised in Hawaiʻi, and spoke Ilokano and English at home. While working toward his bachelor’s, he completed an internship at the that focused on health in the Filipino, Native Hawaiian, Chinese and Japanese communities.

“My dual major informs the work I do every day,” Ravida said. “At my internship, I learned how to design studies and gather data, but I also understand the social and cultural norms of Filipino communities, so I incorporate my understanding of these norms in my work.”

Ravida and other graduates agree the Office of Public Health Studies program has supported them to achieve their academic goals.

“The public health department really works with you to make it possible to complete both majors,” Ravida said. “It was a great experience.”

This is an example of ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

To help Hawaiʻi’s tourism industry recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, new research from the University of Hawaiʻi at ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ suggests a potentially under-utilized form of revenue that visitors are actually willing to pay for: sustainable experiences. These include activities some visitor industry destinations are already offering, such as clearing plastics off beaches and planting trees to offset the carbon footprint. According to study co-author and (TIM School) Professor Jerry Agrusa, the research findings could open the door to new sustainable experiences and more jobs for Hawaiʻi’s workforce.

“With these new initiatives, there are opportunities for new positions,” Agrusa said. “I know there’s a number of hotels that started adding in Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners and now also some are adding in sustainable practitioners—not just a one-time to come in and evaluate how they can be more sustainable, but also to be more engaged with the tourists.”

The tourists want to be engaged now in the destination. They do not want to just take any longer, but they want to give back as well.
— Jerry Agrusa

Agrusa added, “The tourists believe that the application of sustainability to the tourism sector is vital to the future of Hawaiʻi and by having more sustainable activities, it presents a concrete way to meet some of the needs of the present tourists without compromising the ability of future generations to enjoy these tourism products.”

The study, conducted in fall 2021, surveyed a targeted population of U.S. residents who have previously traveled to Hawaiʻi. 454 responses were collected and analyzed. The researchers discovered that U.S. tourists felt a strong desire to engage in sustainable tourism when visiting the Hawaiian Islands; when choosing a vacation, they felt a high level of importance that the tourism industry supports environmentally sustainable tourism practices; and U.S. tourists are willing to pay more to support Hawaiʻi’s sustainable tourism products.

“All of them answered that sustainability is important,” Agrusa said. “There has also been a clear shift in what tourists want from a destination. The tourists want to be engaged now in the destination. They do not want to just take any longer, but they want to give back as well.”

U.S. vs. international markets

U.S. domestic visitors to ​​Hawaiʻi (PDF), according to the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. This is due in large part to the safe travels testing program and quarantine restrictions international visitors face upon returning to their home country. However, pre-pandemic, for example in December 2019, domestic visitors accounted for (PDF). In that same month, visitors from Japan accounted for nearly 15% of all visitors by air to Hawaiʻi.

“One of the things that we know from the research that we’ve done on the Japanese market, which is our largest international market, is that they are very interested in sustainability—they’re one of the highest groups that want to engage in sustainability practices while visiting Hawaiʻi,” Agrusa said. “Here we have our U.S. market which is the largest single market, and the largest international market, they’re very interested in sustainability.”

Overtourism

The inspiration behind this study was the concern of “overtourism” in the state. According to researchers, as revenues from tourism have been increasing for years, overcrowding in tourist areas has affected Hawaiʻi’s natural resources as well as the quality of life for residents. To preserve the state’s natural resources, the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA) has launched its , which is part of HTA’s 2025 strategic plan.

“The Aloha Aina program is a way for the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority to directly support the organizations making a difference in our environment by educating and engaging people in the stewardship of our natural environment,” said Kalani °­²¹ʻ²¹²ÔÄåʻ²¹²ÔÄå, HTA Chief Brand Officer.

The study, authored by Agrusa, Østfold University College Professor Catherine Linnes and University of Nevada, Las Vegas Professor Joseph Lema, was .

• Related ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ News story: U.S. visitors willing to pay more for authentic, sustainable experiences, September 20, 2021

This work is an example of ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s goals of (PDF) and (PDF), two of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

—By Marc Arakaki

Two new public service announcements (PSAs) are encouraging the Filipino community to get fully vaccinated as the number of COVID-19 infections remain high with a new variant lurking.

The videos feature members of the Filipino community and were produced by the University of Hawaiʻi at ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ (JABSOM) and EMME INC. for broadcast and social media channels.

“Vaccination and preventative measures are our best way forward. Help keep yourself, your family, our community and health-workers safe,” said Lee Buenconsejo-Lum, associate dean of academic affairs at JABSOM. “These PSAs speak to the Filipino community whom we hope will understand the importance and need for ourselves and our loved ones—to vaccinate.”

The University of Hawaiʻi at ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ Fealofani O Samoa Student Club is raising awareness within the Pacific Islander (PI) community with a new public service announcement (PSA) to encourage COVID-19 testing and vaccinations. The video includes student testimonials about its importance with an infographic on different ways to say “protecting life” in 10 Pacific Islander languages.

The PSA is a collaboration with PEʻA Inc, a recently established non-profit organization to increase college representation of Pacific Islanders in Hawaiʻi, and the . It is part of the Puipuia le Ola (Samoan for “protecting life”) project, which aims to increase the reach and uptake of COVID-19 testing and vaccinations among Pacific Islanders in Hawaiʻi and on Guam.

“The students are our young advocates in the Pacific Islander community who understand the significance of tautua (service),” said project co-investigator and club advisor Tina Tauasosi-Posiulai with the Office of Vice Provost for Student Success. “Samoan students are natural actors and were adamant to do the PSA as their contribution to our efforts to protect the community from being disproportionately affected by the coronavirus.”

According to the Hawaiʻi Department of Health in May 2021, Pacific Islanders made up 4% of the state’s population but since the onset of the pandemic, they have accounted for 20% of cases and deaths and 30% of hospitalizations.

The students encourage community members to “spread awareness, not COVID” and to “protect yourselves so you can protect each other.” The PSA will air on ʻŌlelo TVand social media channels.

For information on the Puipuia le Ola project, email puipuia@hawaii.edu.

Communities throughout the state have been resilient throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, not to mention the everyday challenges that we have all persevered through in 2021. With different situations have come a need for additional levels of compassion and support. We all sometimes need that extra helping hand, whether it is from a food or clothing drive, helping to take care of a family member or supporting local businesses. These are some of the reasons why the University of Hawaiʻi at ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ has selected the 2021 Word of the Year for Hawaiʻi as care.

“Care is at the heart of everything that has transpired during the last year—whether in health care because of the pandemic or the kind of care for one another that various social justice movements have called for,” said Department Chair and Professor S. Shankar. “We have had to make sure we engage in self care even as we care for one another. We have had to be both careful and caring.”

In 2021, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ displayed extraordinary care—from providing the most up-to-date health care guidance to its community, to establishing various funds to help students financially during the pandemic, to providing a world-class education despite our students, faculty and staff having to navigate through pandemic challenges.

Merriam-Webster selected vaccine as its 2021 Word of the Year. The 2020 Hawaiʻi Word of the Year was resilience.

More about the Department of English

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹’s English department offers a comprehensive curriculum in English studies at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students are able to pursue study in creative writing, composition and rhetoric, literary studies and cultural studies. Composition and rhetoric classes include place-based writing and Indigenous and digital rhetoric. Students can take creative writing classes in poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction. Literature and cultural studies courses offered range from Hawaiian and local literature to Shakespeare, American literature and Asian American film. For more about the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ Department of English and its programs of study, .

Free vaccinations, booster shots and COVID-19 tests will be available at two upcoming Maui vaccination clinics sponsored by the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College . The clinics will be held on Tuesday, December 7, 5–8 p.m. and on Saturday, December 11, 8–11 a.m., at the Binhi at Ani Filipino Community Center, located at 780 Oneheʻe Ave. in Kahului. No appointments are necessary, but they are recommended.

The clinics are open to the public. Remember to bring an I.D. If this is not your first shot, also bring your vaccination card. For more information, call Alfred Evangelista (808) 242-8100 or Chelsea Guzman (808) 268-4557.

Educational specialists from ±á²¹·É²¹¾±ʻ¾±â€™s prisons acquired refreshing new techniques and insights after a one-day training session with a instructor this summer. Like other industries, correctional facilities throughout the state experienced lockdowns and program cancellations due to COVID-19. This was especially challenging for educational staff who had to continue to deliver programs and services for the incarcerated population.

The State of Hawaiʻi Corrections Program Services-Education Branch, in partnership with the Leeward CC’s (OCEWD), provided a day-long training for education specialists, supervisors and select staff from statewide correctional facilities in June.

“Working at a correctional facility can at times be draining,” said Halawa Correctional Facility Education Supervisor Roseann Propato. “The ‘Train the Trainer’ session was helpful in getting to know more about my peers, realizing the value in the work we do, and renewed my sense of purpose.”

Drawing from 24 years of diverse experience, Leeward CC instructor Loretta Chen created an engaging, activity-filled day that included: “The Power of Perspective,” “Design Thinking and Active Empathy”, “From Broadway to Boardroom” (team building, singing and skits), and viewing of Chen’s short film The Secrets to Happiness (shot entirely in Bhutan, with a heartwarming message of the importance of gratitude and humility synonymous with the espousal of the aloha spirit).

“I enjoyed our all-day training session with Dr. Loretta. She taught me the absolute most important trait when communicating with anyone—empathy. Dr. Loretta’s emotional intelligence is impressively beyond reproach,” said Francis Taele, education supervisor at the Women’s Community Correctional Center.

Chen is now teaching entrepreneurship, customer service and financial literacy courses in ±á²¹·É²¹¾±ʻ¾±â€™s correctional facilities. These programs can be designed to suit most organizational needs.

or call (808) 455-0477 to learn more about OCEWD’s customizable training (for a variety of industries).

Seeking resources meant to address basic student needs such as food and shelter needs to be destigmatized, according to Xóchitl Mota-Back. The assistant professor of sociology knows of what she speaks—having struggled with food and finances for much of her life, until well after landing her ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ West Oʻahu faculty position in the fall of 2017.

“There is nothing we can do well if we are hungry, and everyone needs access to food that is nourishing. The reason I am where I’m at in life is because of the help from so many—friends, family, and community,” she said.

It is why Mota-Back assists her students and the broader community with basic needs, and has volunteered for multiple food distributions in the Kapolei area over the past few years.

Fear and anxiety

Her most challenging time was as a visiting assistant professor at Willamette University in Oregon, the year before she moved to Hawaiʻi. At the time, Mota-Back was the sole provider for a family of four, including her partner, a toddler and a newborn.

“It’s one thing when you’ve grown accustomed to pacing how much you eat, where and when you shop, and price-comparing as a college student living on your own, but once you have babies it’s a whole new world of fear and anxiety,” she said.

Trips to the local food bank were a great help, but were restricted by the food bank to once a month.

“We were a family with one PhD and one on the way and couldn’t afford to pay for childcare. Going to the food bank helped us use the little income we did have to buy diapers and wipes and pay the electric bill,” she said.

Even after moving here for her new job at ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ West Oʻahu, things didn’t get better right away. The move was expensive and the nine-month contract meant a three-month gap in pay. Mota-Back said she should have been going to the foodbank when she first got here, but didn’t due to lack of information about available resources or where to go.

She said the students at ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ West Oʻahu are very similar to her. Many are the first in their families to go to college, are parents or are helping out with younger family members, and many are working full-time while going to school.

Help is available

Mota-Back is also a member of the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Basic Student Needs Committee that is working to complete the first ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ System Basic Needs Master Plan to guide basic needs programming at the system level and at each of the 10 ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ campuses.

• Related ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ News stories:
  • Hawaiian language website, more webinars for help with hunger, housing, September 21, 2021
  • 58% of surveyed ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ students hit with hunger, housing problems, June 21, 2021
  • Help with food, housing, childcare, counseling available to ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ students, May 10, 2021
  • ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ students have new web resource for basic needs, March 1, 2021
  • Committee on basic student needs building clearinghouse of resources, December 8, 2020

To help ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ students to access a range of basic needs resources, a series of free webinars is being offered throughout the fall semester 2021. Rainbow Uliʻi, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ system basic needs coordinator, provides 30-minute demonstrations to help the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ community become more familiar with the student basic needs website and Findhelp.org search engine. ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ students in need of housing, food assistance, financial support, etc., are invited to join one of following webinars:

• Wednesday, November 17, 6–6:30 p.m.
• Thursday, December 16, 11–11:30 a.m.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ students can also go to the Basic Student Needs website to find resources for each of the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ campuses across the state.

Recent research indicates college students have been among the most significantly affected by the pandemic. Halfway through the semester, students may find themselves continuing to adjust to university life, changing restrictions and challenging courses. The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (CSDC) is reminding students about free mental health resources on the Mānoa campus.

During the remainder of the fall semester, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa students can register online for focused on practical tips for maintaining mental and physical wellness. Workshops address topics such as developing healthy sleep routines, cultivating mindfulness and coping with stress.

“As a graduate student, the struggle to take care of oneself is real,” said Breanna Komata Agas, a ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa graduate student and CSDC peer fellow. “Through these workshops, I’ve come to realize that self-care is more than just slapping on a face mask and calling it a night; rather it is the active creation of habits that make life enjoyable.”

Earlier in the semester, CSDC hosted a series of . The one-hour group sessions provided a place for students of various identities (such as student-athletes, on-campus residents, international students, LGBTQ+) to meet each other and share experiences virtually via Zoom.

Array of online options

Free mental health services through Zoom are still available, including brief solution-focused individual, couples, and career counseling. The center can also provide crisis services for students needing immediate mental health support. Students who are currently enrolled at ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa and located within the state of Hawaiʻi are eligible for services. For those outside of the state, CSDC can help connect them with mental health resources in their area. Interested students should call (808) 956-7927 to complete a brief initial telephone appointment with a CSDC counselor who can connect them with the most appropriate service.

Faculty and staff can also access expertise and support of the mental health specialists at the CSDC. ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa faculty and staff are encouraged to contact CSDC about how to refer students to appropriate resources, or to arrange for their departments. The CSDC also offers all ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa faculty, staff and students , an online training program that teaches skills for communicating with others about mental health concerns and motivating them to seek help when needed.

“We want all members of our university ʻohana to feel seen and capable of supporting each other during these challenging times.” said CSDC Psychologist Alexander Khaddouma. “Now is a great time for all members of our university community to learn how to better care for ourselves and each other. The educational and training programs offered through the CSDC can help.”

CSDC has adjusted services for students and is set up for urgent individual crisis and walk-in appointments (with adjustments to accommodate physical distancing), brief solution-focused counseling via Zoom and telephone consultations. The center requests that students call to set up an appointment prior to attending a walk-in appointment. Staff will help arrange appropriate services. If students are not able to connect with counseling services through CSDC, counselors can assist with referrals to outside resources.

Faculty and staff can contact the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Employee Assistance Program for counseling services through Employee Assistance of the Pacific.

This program is an example of ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa’s goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

University of Hawaiʻi at ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ (JABSOM) faculty recently recorded public service announcements with ʻŌlelo Community Media to counter some common COVID-19 misinformation circulating in the community. The four videos feature Kalani Brady, Leah Dowsett, Kara Wong-Ramsey and Reni Soonare. They are about one-minute each and cover the following topics:

• COVID-19 vaccine rumors
• COVID-19 vaccine safety during pregnancy
• Vaccination is one of the best ways to protect moms and their babies
• The COVID-19 vaccine cannot change your DNA