Youth in Hawaii should have a better chance of getting the help they need with the launch of an online database of youth services that is easily searched by counselors, court officers, parents and the kids themselves.
"In this time of shrinking resources, we need ways to make sure that people can find what they need when they need it," said Karen Umemoto, a professor of urban and regional planning at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Her department developed the Hawaii Youth Services Directory at the request of the state Office of Youth Services.
The impetus for the interactive database came from court officers looking for appropriate placement for youth involved in court, according to David Hipp, executive director of the Office of Youth Services. But the directory can be used by anyone, and covers the whole range of positive activities for young people, from sports and recreation to anger management and substance abuse treatment.
"We’re not limiting it at all," Hipp said last week. "We really expect it to grow by leaps and bounds once people start to see the value of it and the ease with which it can be accessed."
Already, more than 550 programs offered by more than 250 organizations are listed, and more are being sought. Any youth-serving organization can create an account, and those already listed are encouraged to update their information online. The directory encompasses programs for people from birth to age 21.
With a few keystrokes, users enter the age and location of the child, then check off which services are needed, generating an instant response with brief descriptions of relevant programs and contact information. They can also search by keyword or ZIP code. The database unifies programs that have been scattered and are operating in their own silos.
"In the past it has been fragmented," said Shakoe English, a program coordinator for the Hawaii Youth Services Directory. "You had to more or less know what you were looking for in order to do a Web search about a program that may or may not meet your need. With the database, what is different is that they are all in the same place, and it gives you guidance."
Making the website available to the public could help prevent problems by getting youth engaged in healthy activities early. It also gives small and lesser-known programs a chance to get the word out.
"This is all part of a bigger effort to support our keiki and grow stronger, more connected and vibrant communities," Umemoto said.
A separate side of the directory will allow Family Court and the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility to make referrals to residential programs while knowing whether there is a bed available. That part of the directory is expected to be operational next month.
"What we consistently heard from the courts was that people were unaware of what services were available," Hipp said. "Most hard-copy directories become outdated fairly quickly. We thought that creating an online directory that could be updated regularly by the providers themselves would be of benefit to the courts and ultimately to the kids that are court-involved."
The Legislature had called for creation of such a database with a concurrent resolution in 2010, saying that juveniles are sometimes put in inappropriate settings — such as the youth correctional facility — for lack of information on alternatives.
No money was budgeted for it, so the Office of Youth Services used roughly $100,000 in funds from the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to get the directory launched. It is expected to cost about $100,000 a year to maintain.
"My office is very committed to maintaining this," Hipp said. "It’s to benefit all of us and to benefit our kids."
"The value of such a directory far outweighs the cost, though the costs are significant to keep it up and running day to day," he added. "We would welcome any of the affected agencies or organizations to contribute to the cause."
For more information, email youthdir@hawaii.edu. The database is at www.hawaiiyouthdirectory.com.
