Advocates identify top youth issues

By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Capitol Bureau

Tackling childhood obesity and expanding drug and alcohol prevention programs are among the issues likely to be on the table before lawmakers next year.

Those ideas were included in dozens of proposals emerging from the Hawai'i's Children and Youth Summit, which drew about 100 child and family advocates to the state Capitol yesterday.

House Health Committee Chairman Dennis Arakaki, D-30th (Moanalua, Kalihi Valley, 'Alewa), said an improving economy will help support programs to help Hawai'i's youth, and emphasized that prevention and education programs are worthy investments.

"I think a lot of times, to be honest, we kind of react to things, like react to problems, react to crisis," he said. "I think it is time we start focusing on what can really make a difference, instead of nickeling and diming treatment and prevention programs."

The proposals include:

• Providing substance-abuse prevention and treatment in all public elementary, middle and high schools.
• Using Tobacco Settlement Fund money for physical education, nutrition and health programs in public schools.
• Establishing a $5 check-off box on state tax returns to generate money for child welfare services.
• Expanding nonschool hour youth programs.
• Expanding early childhood education programs.

The ideas will be synthesized into legislation that will be included in a package of bills from the Keiki Caucus, a nonpartisan group of lawmakers focused on child and family issues.

Other ideas can also be accomplished in the community without help from the Legislature, said Senate Human Services Committee Chairwoman Suzanne Chun Oakland, D-13th (Kalihi, Nu'uanu).

Arakaki said lawmakers should perhaps focus on one large issue such as establishing universal health coverage for children or reducing class sizes rather than targeting a lot of little areas.

He said one thing he wants to focus on is childhood obesity, and possibly banning or at least limiting the sale of unhealthy snacks in schools while expanding physical education and nutrition programs.

Chun Oakland said she wants to look at reducing class sizes and was optimistic that the state's improving economy will mean lawmakers can make larger strides in youth and family issues next year.

"We need to identify some key areas that will best impact children and go forward with that in a bigger way than we have," she said. "We never really advocated expanding on a broader scale and we have the opportunity possibly this time."

Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8070.