HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.R. NO. 22 THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024 STATE OF HAWAII HOUSE RESOLUTION urging the governor and pertinent state agencies to commit to provide culturally appropriate resources, services, and programs for native hawaiian individuals and families experiencing intellectual and developmental disabilities.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.R. NO. 22
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.R. NO.
22
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII
HOUSE RESOLUTION
urging the governor and pertinent state agencies to commit to provide culturally appropriate resources, services, and programs for native hawaiian individuals and families experiencing intellectual and developmental disabilities.
WHEREAS, the State has committed to improving the quality of life of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, necessitating the provision of relief to families and care providers; and WHEREAS, the State continues to identify the needs of individuals, families, and care providers with intellectual and developmental disabilities, evidencing the ongoing need for continued support; and WHEREAS, intellectual and developmental disabilities are often lifelong disabilities that may involve challenges that affect intellectual functioning and adaptive functioning, or a person's ability to learn, reason, communicate, socialize, or perform self-care tasks; and WHEREAS, developmental disabilities, which include intellectual disabilities, are a broad group of conditions that may involve an impairment in physical, learning, cognitive, language and communication, or behavior areas; and WHEREAS, the term "intellectual and developmental disabilities" was established and is continuously used to be encompassing and far-reaching in its inclusivity, expressing the community's diversity and recognizing individuals' unique strengths, challenges, needs, and experiences; and WHEREAS, the true extent of the cognitive abilities of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities is not accurately reflected by measures of intelligence, as there are seemingly infinite ways that individuals learn or express themselves; and WHEREAS, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are unique in their own right and the notion of a one-size-fits-all approach is insufficient to fully appreciate and provide appropriate support for their inherent uniqueness; and WHEREAS, this body acknowledges the intrinsic individuality of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities and understands the importance of developing and providing culturally appropriate services, programs, and resources that not only uphold their dignity and active inclusion as valued members of the community, but also nurture their potential and safeguard their well-being; and WHEREAS, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have an inherent right to immerse themselves in their cultural identities, necessitating the provision of culturally appropriate and culturally sensitive services, programs, and resources as essential to the adequacy of support and inclusivity; and WHEREAS, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and their care providers require equitable resources and support, commensurate with their socio-economic standing, to endure in their everyday lives; and WHEREAS, it is incumbent upon society to protect and provide for the most vulnerable communities in ensuring that all people have equitable opportunities and access to thrive; and WHEREAS, Native Hawaiians are overrepresented among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, while also facing disproportionate underdiagnosis, indicating systemic disparities and increased vulnerabilities; and WHEREAS, traditional Native Hawaiian family-based and communal structures established systems of effective care for individuals of all ages, including the most vulnerable members of society; and WHEREAS, these traditional family-based and communal structures were dismantled and are furthered by unresolved historical injustice; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, that the Governor and other pertinent state agencies are urged to commit to providing culturally appropriate resources, services, and programs for Native Hawaiian individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Health, Superintendent of Education, Director of Human Services, President of the University of Hawaii System, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Chairperson of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. OFFERED BY: _____________________________ Report Title: Native Hawaiian; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities; Culturally Appropriate Resources
WHEREAS, the State has committed to improving the quality of life of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, necessitating the provision of relief to families and care providers; and
WHEREAS, the State continues to identify the needs of individuals, families, and care providers with intellectual and developmental disabilities, evidencing the ongoing need for continued support; and
WHEREAS, intellectual and developmental disabilities are often lifelong disabilities that may involve challenges that affect intellectual functioning and adaptive functioning, or a person's ability to learn, reason, communicate, socialize, or perform self-care tasks; and
WHEREAS, developmental disabilities, which include intellectual disabilities, are a broad group of conditions that may involve an impairment in physical, learning, cognitive, language and communication, or behavior areas; and
WHEREAS, the term "intellectual and developmental disabilities" was established and is continuously used to be encompassing and far-reaching in its inclusivity, expressing the community's diversity and recognizing individuals' unique strengths, challenges, needs, and experiences; and
WHEREAS, the true extent of the cognitive abilities of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities is not accurately reflected by measures of intelligence, as there are seemingly infinite ways that individuals learn or express themselves; and
WHEREAS, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are unique in their own right and the notion of a one-size-fits-all approach is insufficient to fully appreciate and provide appropriate support for their inherent uniqueness; and
WHEREAS, this body acknowledges the intrinsic individuality of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities and understands the importance of developing and providing culturally appropriate services, programs, and resources that not only uphold their dignity and active inclusion as valued members of the community, but also nurture their potential and safeguard their well-being; and
WHEREAS, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have an inherent right to immerse themselves in their cultural identities, necessitating the provision of culturally appropriate and culturally sensitive services, programs, and resources as essential to the adequacy of support and inclusivity; and
WHEREAS, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and their care providers require equitable resources and support, commensurate with their socio-economic standing, to endure in their everyday lives; and
WHEREAS, it is incumbent upon society to protect and provide for the most vulnerable communities in ensuring that all people have equitable opportunities and access to thrive; and
WHEREAS, Native Hawaiians are overrepresented among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, while also facing disproportionate underdiagnosis, indicating systemic disparities and increased vulnerabilities; and
WHEREAS, traditional Native Hawaiian family-based and communal structures established systems of effective care for individuals of all ages, including the most vulnerable members of society; and
WHEREAS, these traditional family-based and communal structures were dismantled and are furthered by unresolved historical injustice; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, that the Governor and other pertinent state agencies are urged to commit to providing culturally appropriate resources, services, and programs for Native Hawaiian individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Health, Superintendent of Education, Director of Human Services, President of the University of Hawaii System, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Chairperson of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities.
OFFERED BY: _____________________________
OFFERED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title:
Native Hawaiian; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities; Culturally Appropriate Resources