HHHRC Out in Full Force at Point in Time Count
HHHRC along with other volunteers covered the entire Chinatown area for the "point-in-time" count.
HHHRC and partner organizations conducted a “point-in-time” count of unsheltered persons in central Honolulu in the early morning hours of Thursday, January 23. The count is an annual requirement of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development and used to determine the level of funding the state gets to address homelessness.
 
In contrast to prior surveys, this year data was collected via smart phone apps that also provided location data. This year’s count only applied to a narrow time window on the day of the count. Previously, the count was extended for up to a week.
 
HHHRC is a member of Partners-in-Care O῾ahu , a planning, coordinating, and advocacy alliance that develops recommendations for programs and services to fill needs within Oahu’s Continuum of Care for homeless persons. HHHRC’s training and coordination efforts were led by Nicole Ward, Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) Case Manager.
Remembering HPD Officers Enriquez & Kalama

HHHRC extends its deepest condolences to the families of Officers Tiffany Enriquez and Kaulike Kalama and to the larger community of officers with the Honolulu Police Department (HPD). Enriquez and Kalama were among those killed in an incident that also destroyed seven homes on the morning of Sunday, January 19, on Hibiscus Drive near Diamond Head.
 
“We are deeply saddened by the senseless deaths and destruction of people’s homes. We extend our sympathy to victim families and our support to the Honolulu Police Department,” said HHHRC Executive Director Heather Lusk. “HPD’s leadership and its front-line officers are valued partners in our ongoing efforts with Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion and the Joint Outreach Center, helping to link those with behavioral health issues with needed medical and social services.”
 
GoFundMe pages to support the families of Officer Enriquez and Officer Kalama are still in operation. There is also a benefit concert to support the officers’ families on Friday, January 31.

HHHRC Extends Aloha to the Legislature on Opening Day
Executive Director Heather Lusk and Executive Assistant Jasmine Umeno with Rep. Della Au Belatti
On January 15, almost a dozen HHHRC staff members visited the state capitol on the official opening day of the Hawai‘i Legislature. Staff touched base with most legislative offices, including those of Senate President Ron Kouchi and House Majority Leader Della Au Belatti.
 
Many also witnessed a noon protocol ceremony, hosted by Hawai‘i Rising, that featured hundreds of people chanting in Hawaiian and dancing in a powerful display of indigenous cultural expression.
 
This year marked HHHRC’s first group visit to the state capitol on opening day. “It was a great opportunity to meet legislators and staff in an informal capacity to introduce them to HHHRC’s programs, its award-winning staff , and its 2020 policy priorities ,” said Nikos Leverenz, HHHRC’s Grants, Development, and Policy Manager.
 
Other HHHRC staff members, led by Events Manager Andrew Ogata, contributed to putting promotional materials together for almost six dozen offices.
HHHRC Training Institute Up & Running

The HHHRC Training Institute is open to individuals of all educational, professional, and personal backgrounds who seek to build their capacity in the areas of social work, public health, and social justice. Many of our courses are approved for continuing education units (CEUs) for Certified Substance Abuse Counselors through the Hawai‘i State Department of Health Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division, as well as for social workers through the National Association of Social Workers Hawai‘i Chapter.
 
The Institute will offer the following trainings at its Kakaako office in the months ahead:
 
February 20 – Opioid Overdose Prevention & Response
March 13 – Outreach Worker Training
April 3 – Transgender Cultural Humility
April 30 – Mental Health First Aid
 
For updated information, including reservations, please visit HHHRC’s website .
Circle of Giving
Mahalo to all who have donated to HHHRC in 2019. Your support is deeply valued and helps us to reduce harm, promote health, create wellness, and fight stigma in Hawai'i and the Pacific. With you all at our side, we look forward to a powerful and prosperous 2020.
Hawai'i Health & Harm Reduction Center * 677 Ala Moana Blvd Suite 226, Honolulu Hawaii 96813