HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0448.004 2014-201605/08/01 08:57AM HPFAX Page 1
October 16, 2015
To: Hawaii County Council Committee on Public Safety and Mass Transit
Council Member Daniel Paleka, Jr., Chair
Council Member Greggor Ilagan, Vice Chair
From: Audrey Inaba, 1584 Koele St., Hilo, HI 96720
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CD M O L45
COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY OF HAWAII
RECEIVED
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Re: Testimony on Council Resolution 268-15: Enlists the County of Hawaii in the Stepping
Up Initiative to Reduce the Number of Jailed Persons with Serious Mental Illnesses
Chair Paleka, Vice Chair Illagan and Members of the Public Safety and Mass Transit Committee:
My testimony in support of Resolution 268-15 is as a private citizen of Hawaii County for the
past 27 years and as a constituent born, raised and.living in the State of Hawaii all of my life.
I have worked as a registered nurse in State and private Hawaii hospitals, as well as in public
health positions over the past 35 years serving our most vulnerable individuals, families and
communities through direct nursing services, case management, program planning,
implementation and monitoring and population -based prevention efforts. through community
collaboration.
Front-line social services, public health and safety workers struggle to do their best for their
clients and patients within systems that have been downsized and stymied by budget cuts.
Within this context, policies and processes often perpetuate silo -thinking and work practices.
Meanwhile agencies who try to be collaborative and work out of the box, sometimes are not
sure what to do to get the most "bang for the buck". Everyone is so busy trying to keep up with
requirements of their job that it manifests as a hinderance in breakout innovation and effective
collaboration.
But there is opportunity.
I encourage you to take 5 minutes to read the brief stories at stepuptogether.org. They come
from individuals affected by mental illness, the disease of addiction, crime and incarceration.
They come from agencies who went to the edge of innovation and collaboration, at both
administrative and front-line levels, to implement clever strategies that decrease costly
incarceration, that de-escalate crises, align individuals with needed mental health services, and
reduce recidivism. You will think, "What a great ideal What can we do to have this here?"
It doesn't matter where it starts, but that it starts. In order to succeed we need to have strong
buy -in and commitment from leadership who receive necessary technical assistance and
support from the Stepping Up Initiative. 444.00„
Thank you for your favorable consideration of Resolution 268-15. Comm, No.
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