Big Island Organizations & Programs Losing Funding

[randomq]

As of the brain drain in Hawaii weren't bad enough already...

[TomK]

The University of Hawaiʻi President Hensel discusses the potential and real effects of recent administration decisions. If you have a spare hour, it's worth watching.


https://youtu.be/Q6qqbsFsW84?si=TsIRyIShs4CGrG6l

[kalianna]

Hereʻs an update from the Hakalau Forest.  This is from their newsletter:

We submitted a Letter to the Editor at the Star-Advertiser and answered questions from many journalists locally and across the country. That following week we developed the SAVE OUR SEEDLINGS campaign which was launched on February 23rd. Our fundraising goal was to provide refuge support and cover at least two of the vital positions which were lost.

Here's a quote from the passionate Eric Hamren, the Nursery Manager, whose position was terminated; “I was 2 months away from being past probation, a period in which we can legally only be fired for poor performance. My reviews only show exceptionally high performance. All of that ended on Friday with no consideration to my merit.”

We have since received overwhelming support from 263 donors -mahalo nui loa to each of you. But we have one final request – a very generous donor from Oahu offered $50,000 if we could match that amount. We just need $27,795 to make that goal – please help if you can.

[Punatang]

The University of Hawaiʻi President Hensel discusses the potential and real effects of recent administration decisions. If you have a spare hour, it's worth watching.


https://youtu.be/Q6qqbsFsW84?si=TsIRyIShs4CGrG6l

I have not had that hour yet Tom but hopefully Josh was able to alleviate some or all of it with a well timed phone call.  

Gov. Green secures federal support for Univeristy of Hawai‘i, restores webpage honoring the 442nd Regimental Combat Team

At 4:30 a.m. on March 11, Green said he spoke to high-level administration officials including the Deputy Chief of Staff for the White House and a Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, explaining that while there was a little on-campus conflict during the recent war in Gaza, it paled in comparison to what’s gone on at other universities.

“I explained that while there was We are not an institution that is antisemitic,” Green said. “We’re giving them a letter to fortify our position, but they assured me the University of Hawai‘i is not on the chopping block for antisemitism.”
Through these efforts, the federal administration reaffirmed its commitment to upholding civil rights while maintaining funding streams that support research, education, and student services at the university.

https://bigislandnow.com/2025/03/17/gov-...mbat-team/

[TomK]

Thanks. If and when you do get a chance to watch the video, this was addressed. Although I'm not a UH employee, I've been impressed with Hensel as the new president, and she's certainly better than the previous president. Let's see if she gets worn down by local politics, though.

[ironyak]

I do also recommend the video Tom posted from the UH president - her background in labor law gives her some keen insights on both the legal and political landscape with which the university has to contend as well as plans for tackling various logistical issues arising from the haphazard cuts (like raising and providing support for grad students recently stranded when their promised federal stipends were cancelled).

Federal cuts to agriculture in Hawaii also making the national news, including impacts in Laupahoehoe.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-ameri...rcna198550
"In Hawaii, where 90% of food is imported, farmers who offset imbalance now face cuts
Since the Trump administration paused funds, local farmers are in survival mode, they say. "
(more at link)

Tariffs on food imports and cutting support for local farmers really going to be inflating those grocery bills. I guess let them eat cake (donuts)!

[Moderator 2]

Healthcare service funding under Title X was suddenly, without warning halted for many clinics in East Hawaii. Not to save money, but to be sure in a state with a highly diverse population, and difficulty in finding doctors, dentists and nurses, that there is no diversity in hiring.

Hilo Family Health
Hilo Keiki Health
Hilo Family Dental
Hilo Women’s Health
Keaʻau Family Health and Dental
Kaʻū Family Health and Dental
Pāhoa Family Health
Pāhoa Women’s and Keiki Health

https://www.hicommunityhealthcenter.org/...-location/


“The freeze immediately halted critical resources from being distributed, putting access at risk for patients who want and need time-sensitive health care services,” said Amy Moy, co-CEO of Essential Access, which administers the Title X program in Hawaiʻi.

Moy explained that this time is different because the funds were withheld with no warning. They were informed the day before the funding period was supposed to start on April 1.

“There was no time to prepare,” she said. “There was no time to address any specific gaps that may be felt at the provider level and therefore could potentially impact patient access.”

https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-...nding-cuts

[randomq]

How are we gonna fund those clinics *and* give billionaires a tax cut? Think, people!

Maybe Zuckerberg or Ellison will offer healthcare if we go work on their plantations...

[MyManao]

Healthcare service funding under Title X was suddenly, without warning halted for many clinics in East Hawaii...

Many clinics? Seriously, that’s all parts of the old Bay Clinic.. which.. as per their web site..

https://www.hicommunityhealthcenter.org/history-merger/

In 2022, Bay Clinic and West Hawaiʻi Community Health Center, both non-profit Federally Qualified Health Centers, merged operations as Hawai’i Island Community Health Center.

It’s the "non-profit Federally Qualified Health Centers” part which is the meat of the matter. Their model.. how they pay their bills since all the way back to Susan Maile and the women's clinic days.. has always been based on tapping into federally funded programs.. and without I doubt they have a revenue stream.. or doctors for that matter.

I've personally seen, and been affected by, their use of a program that sponsors doctors fresh out of training to go and work in rural America for so many years in exchange for their student loans being paid off. The purpose of the program is to hook so many of the doctors that actually do the time into falling in love with a community and staying on after their funding period is up. In other words encourage doctors to stay here and become a part of our community, and serve us as doctors for their life.

I had one such doctor, she worked in Pahoa, she fell in love with us, and bought a home, had her kids in our schools, and her husband working here in his profession. And when the years were up and she was brought before the board and presented a plan to stay on.. she was fired, and subsequently moved back to the mainland. And all her patients.. well.. they just brought in the next young starry eyed.. and started all over..

Maybe we deserve better, though I doubt we'll get it. And now, for many, there may be nothing, thanks to all that voted for the orange moron.

[Punatang]

always been based on tapping into federally funded programs.. and without I doubt they have a revenue stream.. or doctors for that matter.


Given that this is the case, it's very hard for me to wrap my mind around the idea that they think they had no warning. If that is your model (above), and you operate in an environment where things can change on a dime every four years, over time, wouldn't you recognize that weakness in the model?  For the sake of your patients, wouldn't you develop contingencies, and adapt?  
 
Does anyone know how they adapted the last time the orange moron was in charge?