Editorials

Monday, April 22, 1996

Hawaii's children
need protection from abuse

HAWAII'S claim to be the "health state" is belied by its dismal record in dealing with child abuse. The islands have one of the highest death rates in the country for abused infants. In 1991, Hawaii topped all states in the ratio of infant homicides to births - four deaths to 19,922 births. Reports of child abuse and neglect increased from 88 in 1967 to 5,186 in 1994.

In a series of articles in the Star-Bulletin, Helen Altonn has laid out the dismaying story of abuse, neglect and inadequate resources to cope with the problem. The state's attempts to cope with the budget shortfall have made matters even worse.

Kapiolani Hospital's pediatric intensive care unit used to have only one or two children a year with severe injuries, if any. Now it averages 15 to 20 a year.

Child Protective Services have been protected from job cuts, but even so CPS units had only 185 staff members - 85 short - to handle 3,876 cases. Although an estimated 80 percent of cases involve substance abuse, drug programs have lost funding.

More than 900 children are in foster care or other out-of-home arrangements. Snags in the system are keeping hundreds of children in limbo, unable to go home or to an adoptive family. Overburdened CPS workers and guardians and inconsistent and confusing policies hamper effective care.

An epidemic of drug abuse is hurting and even killing children here. One woman had nine drug-exposed babies. CPS workers can handle only the critical cases, referring the others to community agencies, which may not be effective.

The few treatment programs available have waits of up to six months for admission. The Salvation Army's Women's Way drug-treatment facility in Manoa is licensed for 41 beds, but only 30 are occupied because of a lack of funding. Yet the facility has about 50 inquiries a week and a waiting list.

Altonn reports on changes planned by the state to avert a lawsuit to correct deficiencies. Whether or not the state is taken to court, it is clear that more resources must be devoted to the protection of Hawaii's children. Nothing could be more important.


Other editorials, in brief:

U.S. auto sales in Japan

FOR years, it seemed that the Japanese could do no wrong in business. Their economy grew at incredible rates. Their automobiles and electronic products swept away all competitors. Their huge trade surpluses provided money to buy up properties in Hawaii and elsewhere in the United States at a breathtaking pace.

Increased auto sales in Japan would be good for the United States' industry, of course, but it would also help Japan by reducing the irritants that the huge imbalance in trade have produced. The establishment of auto plants in the U.S. by Japanese manufacturers has served as a challenge to American manufacturers. Now the Americans are responding.


Amending the Constitution

ONE thing about the Republican-controlled Congress: Some of its members think the Constitution needs a lot of amending. The House of Representatives has just voted on its fourth proposed constitutional amendment of the year. The GOP leadership also supports two more proposed amendments - a total of six. David Sarasohn of the Portland Oregonian calls this "the most constitutionally creative Congress since the first one, which passed the 10 amendments making up the Bill of Rights."

In a sense, it's better this way. Amending the Constitution is serious business, deserving more sober consideration than Congress is giving these proposals.





Published by Liberty Newspapers Limited Partnership

Rupert E. Phillips,CEO

John M. Flanagan,Editor & Publisher

David Shapiro,Managing Editor

Diane Yukihiro Chang,Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor

Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner,Assistant Managing Editors

A.A. Smyser,Contributing Editor



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