This information supplements handouts in members packets. 1. Welcome and Introductions Beth Giesting was a conference speaker in New Mexico so Barbara Luksch, Hawaii Covering Kids Project Director, opened the meeting at 10:00 AM and welcomed the thirty-three attendees. 2. Announcements a. The current marketing campaign combined with media outreach events is a huge success so far. During the week of August 6-10, Ask Aloha United Way averaged over 100 calls per day from people inquiring about children's health insurance and the Hawaii Covering Kids web site, that usually averages 300 visitors a week, received almost 1,400 visitors. b. The Hawaii Covering Kids Phase II grant opportunity was briefly explained. 3. Presentations: Health Attitudes and Practices of Pacific Islanders a. Kim Kuulei Birnie gave an overview and historical background information on the Pacific Islands. b. Republic of Palau: Everett Belelai * Matrilineal society. * Even distribution of four major religions--Later Day Saints, Catholic, Seventh Day Adventists, and traditional Palauan religion. * Known for its limestone formed rock islands. * A long history of occupation by Japan and many Palauans have Japanese surnames. During Japan's occupation of the island group, they built infrastructure, roads, and schools; they educated. They introduced technology and skills for sustenance to the people of Palau. * Palauans usually rely on traditional healing first, even going to the extent of having family send or bring the remedies and plants needed for a cure. The people of Palau can be receptive to modern technology and health care, however, if the medical doctor with modern technology is unable to determine a cause for the illness, Palauans take that as proof someone from another village is "speaking bad" about them and using black magic to make them or their family ill. They convince themselves that Western medicine is a waste of time. * Being a modest people, Palauans tend not to speak of unpleasant or disagreeable issues face-to-face with those they perceive as strangers (e.g., doctors). In part, the word "palau" means to go around; fathers tell their sons that in order to know how to fish, you have to know your path and be able to find your way from east to west. * Palauans have a strong sense of their environment. c. Republic of the Marshall Islands: Hilda Heine and Julie Walsh * It is a matrilineal and hierarchical society. The Marshallese receive their clan identity and inherit land through the mother's line and how people interact socially is determined by a person's status within the hierarchy. For example, out of respect a person of lower rank will not look at a person of higher rank when speaking to him/her. Often, having a third person act as a go-between can help when speaking of personal or health issues. * The Marshallese tend to rely on their traditional medicine and healing practices before more modern methods, though they are slowly becoming more accepting of modern medicine and healthcare. * A series of coral atolls with 70 square miles of land and no agriculture, the Marshall islands have a population of 50,000 with 2/3 of its people living on two islands. Most goods are imported. * Social interaction is of significant importance because of the population density of Majuro and Kwajalein. A cooperative and peaceful people, the Marshallese have a respect for authority and desire to please. They do not want to refuse anyone and might agree to an appointment they have no intention of keeping. * "Yes" has several meanings. * 49% of the population is 15 years old or younger. d. Samoa: Bill Elmsly and Komiti Panama * In times of crisis or hardship, the Samoan way is to rely on family and each other. They are a dependent, collective community rather than a separate, specialized culture. For example, in the old days if the doctor wanted to immunize all village children, he would speak to the mayor, who will call the village together for a party and in the midst of eating and dancing, the doctor would immunize the children. * Doctors hold a very special place in society and are viewed as "fighters of disease." Doctors treat their patients as a whole person--mind, body, and spirit--and look for causes as well as remedies. Patients expect action from the doctors, and sometimes when an illness' cause is not readily apparent, a placebo will be effective in putting the patient at ease because she/he believes something is being done. * Outreach efforts should focus on a community's churches. Religious figures have taken the place of high chiefs and authority figures. e. Contact Information Kim Kuulei Birnie Hawaii Primary Care Association 345 Queen Street, Suite 601 Honoulu, HI 96813-4715 T 536-8442 / F 524-0347 / E kkb@aloha.net Everett Belelai Steadfast Housing Development Corporation 677 Ala Moana Boulevard, Suite 713 Honolulu, HI 96813 T 599-6230 / F 675-0071 Hilda Heine and Julie Walsh Small Island Networks 2123 Kaloa Way Honolulu, HI 96822 T 945-3051 / F 941-3680 / E smallislands@hotmail.com Bill Emmsley Samoan Service Provider Association 1208 North King Street Honolulu, HI 96817 T 842-0218 / F 847-6729 / E billemmsley@hawaii.rr.com 5. Next Meeting Our next meeting is Thursday, 8 November 2001 at 10:00 AM at the Honolulu YWCA on Richards Street. The topics are "Families After Welfare: What Happens to Medicaid? What Other Programs Are Available to Help Families?" by Kris Foster from DHS Benefit Employment and Support Services Division and "Welfare Reform: An Overview of Med-QUEST's Delinking from TANF" by Ann G. Tam Sing from DHS Med-QUEST Division.