Last Friday, officials and representatives from the federal Department of Justice, Department of Education, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security and the Department of the Interior met with members of the COFA community as well as diplomats and leaders from the COFA nations, to discuss issues facing COFA residents in Hawai'i, and how federal agencies may support the community's efforts to address these issues.  Representatives from Hawai'i's Congressional delegation also attended the meeting, which was coordinated with and held at Kokua Kalihi Valley.

Issues discussed included access to federal healthcare safety nets, the need for education and youth empowerment, bullying and discrimination in public schools, and citizenship issues related to military service.

On Thursday, August 28, Saint Elizabeth's Episcopal Church will again sponsor a march and rally for health justice through amendment of the PWORA Act of 1996.

Supporters are asked to meet at Saint Elizabeth's Episcopal Church (click for directions) at 10:00 a.m. for a march ending at the Prince Kuhio Federal Building.  Those who cannot or do not wish to walk can also meet at the Ewa end of the  Prince Kūhiō Federal Building (click for directions) for a brief rally. 

Marchers are asked to wear orange if possible.

Call 673-8930 for questions about Thursday's march.  Please help spread the word about this week's event!

Announcement in Chuukese:

Auchea!! Ouse mochen eto fiti ach Karis fan iten Forean Medicaid ren kich chon Micronesia si nonom wonei fonu Hawaii...

Oruwanu August 28, 2014 kunok 10:00 a.m. nessossor ren ach iwe fan Saint Elizabeth's Church, 720 North King Street.

Uwei ufom mi orange (sangingi) uwow konik.

Fitikich ne fetan seni St. Elizazbeth tori ewe Federal Building, 300 Ala Moana Blvd.  Amo kot epwe efeioch chuk!!

Governor Neil Abercrombie signed into law today HB1616, a bill that updates the state’s health planning statute to address the health disparities of Native Hawaiians, other Pacific Islanders and Filipinos while also addressing the "social determinants of health"  that may impact all of Hawai'i's communities. 

Introduced by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, this bill brings the state's planning code in line with nationally and internationally recognized best practices in health planning.   Numerous testifiers worked throughout the legislative session to pass the measure, including healthcare providers, government agencies, community groups and health justice organizations such as the COFA Community Advocacy Network (COFACAN). 

The World Health Organization, the United States Department of Health and Human Services' Healthy People 2020 and the Centers for Disease Control all recognize social determinants of health as the single most influential factor in individual and population health outcomes, more so than genetic disposition or medical care.  Research demonstrates that it is not only access to health care services that produces healthy and thriving individuals and communities, but rather other social circumstances such as housing, education, social services, leisure, culture and public safety, which all play a role in overall health outcomes.  

Click here to see the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' press release on the bill signing.

A call for marchers and ralliers has again been made by the Chuukese membership of Saint Elizabeth's Episcopal Church and the COFA Community Advocacy Network (COFACAN), for Thursday, June 26, 2014.  

As before, the march will begin at Saint Elizabeth's Episcopal Church (click for directions) at 10:00 a.m. and end at the Prince Kuhio Federal Building.  Those who cannot or do not wish to walk can also meet at the Ewa end of the  Prince Kūhiō Federal Building (click for directions) for the rally.

A brief synopsis of the health justice issues that has inspired these marches can be heard on the following Hawai'i Public Radio spot hosted by Molly Solomon, and featuring Joakim "Jojo" Peter of COFACAN, Victor Geminiani of the Hawai'i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, and Dr. David Derauf of Kōkua Kalihi Valley: 

http://cpa.ds.npr.org/khpr/audio/2014/06/cofa_0609_0.MP3 (click to download or listen below)

These marches and rallies are part of an ongoing effort to raise awareness and support of health justice issues facing U.S. taxpayers present under the Compacts of Free Association.  Supporters are asked to spread the word and to join in the march and rally, which will include the presentation of advocacy packets to Hawai'i's congressional delegation.  Fliers may be downloaded by clicking on the links below:

June 26 Rally Flier -- Chuukese
June 26 Rally Flier -- English

Health justice advocates and community leaders discussed the history of Micronesia and the Pacific, the Compacts of Free Association, and some of the issues and achievements of the many cultural and linguistic groups comprising the Freely Associated States on Rick Hamada's "Community Matters" program this Sunday.  

Featured panelists included Pālolo Pipeline coordinator Kat Lobendahn, along with community leaders Joakim "Jojo" Peter of COFACAN and Dr. Sheldon Riklon of the Micronesian Health Advisory Coalition

The informative and thought-provoking discussion included details regarding the online petition that sought to curtail a pattern of derogatory jokes and commentary against "Micronesians" by the Wake Up Crew on Island 98.5 FM of Clear Channel Media and Entertainment.

Since the petition began, a formal apology has been read on-air by the Wake Up Crew; some listeners subsequently expressed concern that the on-air apology lacked sincerity, and that Wake Up Crew members appeared to "make light" of the apology through subsequent jokes and the "mocking" admonishment of radio callers.  A number of derogatory comments in response to the petition were also posted on the radio station's social media platforms, which were apparently removed by account owners.  

The Community Matters panelists sought to promote greater education and awareness of the accomplishments and challenges of the diverse peoples of Micronesia, including the cultural contributions of "Papa Mau" Piailug and the healthcare issues currently facing many U.S. residents present under the Compacts of Free Association.  

Panelist and petition creator Kat Lobendahn closed the hour-long session with a quote from Epeli Hau'ofa: "Oceania is vast, Oceania is expanding, Oceania is hospitable and generous, Oceania is humanity rising from the depths of brine and regions of fire deeper still, Oceania is us." 

Listen to the Community Matters broadcast below, or download an audio file of the broadcast by clicking here.

After extensive circulation over social media and through local news coverage, the petition addressing a pattern of derogatory and racist commentary on Island 98.5 FM has garnered enough attention to persuade Clear Channel Media and Entertainment to host a "Community Matters" session featuring petition writer Kat Lobendahn, along with community leaders Joakim "Jojo" Peter of COFACAN and Dr. Sheldon Riklon of the Micronesian Health Advisory Coalition.  

The session will be recorded on Thursday, June 5 at the Clear Channel Headquarters in Iwilei at 10:30 a.m., and will be broadcast on all seven Honolulu Clear Channel stations at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 8.  

COFA community members and allies can show their support and solidarity with the panel speakers by going to Clear Channel Headquarters, 650 Iwilei Road, Honolulu, HI 96817, at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday.  A peaceful sit-in will help to illustrate the importance of addressing this issue to a major media entity in Hawai'i.

What:  Peaceful Sit-in for Solidarity
Where: Clear Channel Headquarters at 650 Iwilei Road, Honolulu, HI 96817
When:  Thursday, June 5, 2014 at 10:30 a.m.
Why:  To support ending derogatory and dehumanizing attitudes on the airwaves

Also: Tune in at 7 a.m. on Sunday, June 8 to any Clear Channel Hawai'i station (92.3 FM KSSK, 93.9 FM KHJZ, 98.5 FM KDNN, 99.1 HD KDNN, 101.9 FM KUCD, 830 AM KHVH, and 990 AM KIKI) to hear the "Community Matters" session featuring Kat Lobendahn, Joakim Peter and Dr. Sheldon Riklon.

Additional media coverage on the petition can be found on The Fourth Branch and the Hawai'i Independent websites.  The petition can be viewed and signed here.

From Joakim "Jojo" Peter with the Compact of Free Association Community Advocacy Network (COFACAN).  For more information or to join the COFACAN e-mail list, contact Jojo at joakim@hawaii.edu or contact us here at HealthyPacific.org.

Dear citizens of Oceania and beyond:

Brothers and sisters, we call upon your support and the wisdom of our ancestors as we navigate through difficult waters.  On April 1, 2014, the Ninth Circuit Court handed down its ruling on the Korab v. Fink case.  This case involves the issue of whether the state can enroll citizen residents from the Compact of Free Association nations (COFA) in the medically insufficient Basic Health Hawai'i healthcare safety net.  The Ninth Circuit ruled 2-1 in favor of the state, removing a preliminary injunction that stopped the implementation of Basic Health Hawai'i.  The ruling therefore allows the state to limit COFA citizens to Basic Health Hawai'i if it so chooses.

The Attorney General has promised that the state will not deny citizens from the Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau equal access to healthcare in Hawai'i until the Korab vs. Fink case is finally resolved.  However, BHH remains on the books.  It is unclear what will happen when the case is ultimately decided, or when a new governor is elected.  We stand together in hope and prayer that the State of Hawai‘i will continue to support our COFA citizens’ healthcare as it has from the beginning.   We continue to advocate for the State of Hawaiʻi to remove Basic Health Hawai'i from Hawaiʻi Administrative Rules and repeal Haw. Admin. Rules Chapter 17-1722.3.

We will continue to work with all who support us to take a unified stand to hold the federal government accountable in addressing the healthcare needs of COFA taxpayers and residents of the United States.  To the people of the COFA nations and our supporters, we humbly ask for your support to stand with us in our effort to persuade the state leaders to not forsake us.  Let us trust that they will not forsake us.  We are working closely with the leadership of the State of Hawai‘i, the U.S. Congress and with our partners throughout the nation to support a federal solution to repair the injustice of the Welfare Reform Act of 1996. We believe that the State and U.S. government must act consistently with the spirit of our long relationship between the COFA nations and the United States.  Historical background, summaries and factsheets on the history of this issue and the Korab vs. Fink court case can be found at our website www.healthypacific.org.

These are our goals moving forward:

1.     Request a full panel ("en banc") review from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

2.     Maintain current levels of Med-QUEST eligibility for our COFA citizens.

3.     Repeal HAR Chapter 17-1722.3 (Basic Health Hawai'i) from the Hawai'i Administrative Rules (HAR).

4.     Work in partnership with the State of Hawai'i and our national supporters towards a federal solution to restore Medicaid benefits for COFA citizens.

Here are some important actions that we must accomplish together:

1.     Let COFA citizens know that they are still currently covered under MED-QUEST until the state of Hawai'i decides their next steps. 

2.     Ask your organization to write a public statement in support of the COFA community.  Your letter can request the state of Hawai'i to repeal HAR Chapter 17-1722.3.

3.     Participate in meetings and activities to get informed and involved.

4.     Visit the www.healthypacific.org website for the latest news and info, and help spread the word about action alerts and other important announcements (use the hashtag #samecanoe on social media). 

We have heard reports that COFA citizens on Med-QUEST may be receiving notices regarding changes to their health coverage.  These notices may be related to a new mandatory re-enrollment period that affects every Med-QUEST recipient.  This new enrollment period is in effect from April to October.  The letters for this re-enrollment should not be confused with the Basic Health Hawai'i Plan.  Please contact your local community health center, case worker or DHS office if you need help filling out this form, and know that you have the right to an interpreter or translator by law.  Ask if you don't understand!

Basic Health Hawai'i is not yet in effect; however, if anyone receives any official documents regarding this plan we urge these citizens to e-mail us at restoringjusticehi@gmail.com so that we can investigate and follow up on these reports.  Please continue to check the website www.healthypacific.org for updates and answers to questions that have been submitted.  This canoe is ours to paddle, together.  As islanders, we appreciate and welcome the generous support of our hosts and partners in Hawai'i who would join us in this struggle to maintain our common humanity.

In the wake of the Ninth Circuit opinion in Korab v. Fink,  which overruled a district court's preliminary injunction against the bare-bones and facially discriminatory healthcare plan known as Basic Health Hawaiʻi, the Hawaiʻi state Attorney General has now issued a press release indicating that the state will "make sure that COFA residents continue to have uninterrupted access to their health benefits while this lawsuit is pending."

See the Attorney Generalʻs press release here, or download a .pdf version by clicking here.

While this news comes as temporary relief for many COFA citizens who suffer from chronic illnesses requiring a much greater degree of healthcare than that afforded by Basic Health Hawaiʻi, others have noted that underlying concerns continue to remain unaddressed.

"Basic Health Hawaiʻi is still on the books," said Joakim "Jojo" Peter, a community leader and organizer who has sought to restore federal funding for COFA citizensʻ healthcare through Medicaid.  "While this governor has pledged his support and commitment to treating COFA citizens as equal human beings in terms of our healthcare safety net, it is an election year, and it could be less than a year before we have a new governor that has a different idea of how to treat our U.S. resident taxpayers, workers, students and family members, who just happen to be from the former U.S. trust territories now known as the COFA nations."

Despite petitions and other requests from community groups and supporters last year, Governor Abercrombie refused to drop the stateʻs appeal of the injunction against Basic Health Hawaiʻi, citing philosophical concerns with the district court's ruling, while at the same time assuring the COFA community that their sick and indigent family members would not be discriminated against under his administration.  Insofar as the governor has received some legal vindication of his philosophical concerns, community activists and leaders would prefer greater assurances than the promises made in the Attorney General's press release. 

"The governor got what he said he wanted," said Innocenta Sound-Kikku, community organizer and social worker at Kōkua Kalihi Valley.  "He said he wanted to appeal based on legal principles, and that he did not view our people's right to healthcare as any less than that of any other human being.  Now that he has a published Ninth Circuit opinion opening the door for states to discriminate against immigrants in access to healthcare, it is time for him to stand by his word and take Basic Health Hawaiʻi off the books." 

"We are continuing our years of work to uphold the federal government's ongoing responsibility to COFA citizens, and we will soon issue a statement of unity that any COFA community group may sign on to," said Peter.  "In the meantime, we respectfully request that the state and any others who are interested in our quest for justice to continue supporting ourselves and our families, as we seek a federal solution to provide for the healthcare needs of COFA citizens who reside in the U.S." 

PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FROM JOAKIM PETER OF COFACAN.  More information will be forthcoming shortly.  

FOR DETAILS ON THIS FRIDAY'S MEETING, please contact us or e-mail restoringjusticehi@gmail.com. 

ALERT: Basic Health Hawai'i Preliminary Injunction Lifted

Earlier today, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals handed down its decision on the Basic Health Hawaiʻi case (Korab vs. Fink) after hearing the case over eighteen months ago. In its ruling, the court states that Hawaiʻi is not constitutionally obligated to provide medical care under its state run Medicaid programs for COFA citizens living in Hawaiʻi. This means that the state of Hawaiʻi is not necessarily in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution by imposing Basic Health Hawaiʻi (BHH) on COFA citizens.  It also means that the preliminary injunction that was imposed on BHH is now lifted.  It is unclear now whether and/or when the state will reinstate BHH and endanger the health, well-being and lives of our families and community members as it has tried to do for almost 5 years.
 
We want to call on our partners and fellow community advocates who have been working hard on this issue to come together in a series of community conversations and dialogue so that we can come up with a plan of action to move forward on this issue. Our Micronesian communities need fair access to healthcare. This is an opportunity to make our unified voice heard and restore justice to our Micronesian citizens, not just in Hawaiʻi, but potentially throughout the United States. Now is the time for us to demonstrate the power we have in our community and in our strength and resilience as Pacific Islanders. Please come. Please forward this announcement and tell others.

Our first meeting will be held this Friday evening at 6 PM at Kuhio Park Terrace.  Details will be distributed shortly.  Please mark your calendars and stay tuned for more information.  

Please see below for three important announcements from COFACAN: 

1. On Monday, Feb. 3, the Hawaiʻi House Committees on Ocean, Marine Resources & Hawaiian Affairs and Health will hear HB1616, a bill that will allow state agencies to plan around and invest resources in addressing "social determinants of health," particularly those affecting Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Filipino communities in Hawaiʻi.  By comprehensively addressing "social determinants" such as cultural, linguistic, economic, and other barriers to achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, Hawaiʻi has the opportunity to substantially reduce healthcare costs while improving the health and well-being of health-vulnerable Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Filipinos, along with all others facing similar obstacles to a healthy life.* 

2.  On Tuesday, Feb. 4, the Senate drivers licensing access bill (SB2935) will have its first hearing.  This is the bill that Jose Vargas spoke in favor of during his visit here, that could increase access to transportation and vehicular insurance (and decrease insurance costs), mitigate the high levels of racial profiling and civil rights violations reportedly occurring in Maui and Honolulu counties, and provide some security for workers who are currently undocumented yet contribute an estimated $50 million to our local economy.  Long-time COFACAN supporter and FACE/Hawai'i Coalition for Immigration Reform organizer Reverend Stan Bain (pictured here with Joakim Peter of COFACAN) also spoke in support of this bill at our last COFACAN meeting.*

*If you would like to testify on these measures, please sign up or a capitol account (if you have not done so) here: http://capitol.hawaii.gov/login/register.aspx; then sign in to your account and enter HB1616 or SB2935 in the "Bill Status/Measure Status" field  (click on "Submit Testimony" on the top middle of the subsequent page).

3. Inequality for All movie screening (free)--  On Thursday, February 6, at 5:30 p.m. in St. Andrews Cathedral, the Hawai'i Peoples Fund, Unite Here! Local 5, Faith Action for Community Equity, and the Hawai'i Appleseed Center (formerly known as Lawyers for Equal Justice) will cosponsor a screening of "Inequality for All," a film documentary that throws open a window into the growing economic disparities in the United States, aka the "land of equality."  COFACAN supporters and allies are sponsoring the film screening, so we should have many friends at this event!  For details and to RSVP, click here.