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Article 8. Health, Wellness, and Healthcare Access. <br />Section 1-8-1. Policies. <br />(1) Access to care is essential to community stability and well-being. Timely access to <br />healthcare and wellness services is fundamental to quality of life, workforce participation, <br />and community stability. <br />(2) Health is shaped by place, housing, and daily life. Land use patterns, housing, <br />transportation, food access, parks, and cultural practices influence well-being and should be <br />considered in County decision -making. <br />(3) Healthcare access must reflect island geography and rural realities. The County should <br />support distributed, flexible, and place -appropriate approaches to healthcare access, <br />including mobile services, satellite facilities, and telehealth infrastructure, particularly in <br />underserved and remote areas. <br />(4) Cultural and community -based wellness practices matter. Traditional Hawaiian healing <br />practices and culturally grounded approaches to wellness should be respected and <br />supported alongside modern healthcare services where consistent with safety and <br />applicable law. <br />(5) County actions should enable — not replace — healthcare delivery. The County's role is <br />to remove barriers, coordinate infrastructure and land use decisions, and support <br />partnerships that improve access to care, rather than to operate or manage healthcare <br />services directly. <br />(6) Caregiving and health -related work are essential community functions. Healthcare and <br />caregiving roles should be supported through workforce pathways and supportive <br />infrastructure. <br />Section 1-8-2. Actions. <br />(a) Identify and address gaps in healthcare access. The department of research and <br />development shall work with public, private, and nonprofit partners to identify geographic <br />and service gaps and support solutions. <br />(b) Plan for healthcare and wellness facilities through land use decisions. The planning <br />department shall consider healthcare, elder care, and wellness facilities in land use <br />planning, zoning, and permitting decisions to support compatibility, accessibility, and <br />community needs. <br />(c) Invest in healthy places and preventive infrastructure. The department of parks and <br />recreation, in coordination with other County departments, shall continue to support parks, <br />trails, and open spaces that promote physical activity, mental health, and social connection. <br />(d) Support culturally grounded wellness partnerships. The department of research and <br />development shall facilitate partnerships that expand and improve access to culturally <br />competent health education, prevention, and wellness programming. <br />16 <br />