David Y. Ige

Honolulu, HI – As part of National Reunification Month, the Department of Human Services (DHS) Child Welfare Services and its partners will honor Estrella Barnett, her family and the many hard-working community supports that strive to keep children safe and families together. DHS and community partners including Partners in Development Foundation will celebrate the Barnett family’s journey toward successful reunification on Wednesday, June 27thon Kaua‘i.

During the month of June, communities across the U.S. celebrate families like the Barnetts and the support systems that are instrumental to families’ reunifications and successes. The national month of celebrations honors families and myriad community partners, including social workers, family courts, community organizations, and other service providers who play important roles in helping families overcome challenges and reunify.

About 1,500 children are placed into foster care each year in Hawai‘i. Child Welfare Service (CWS) involvement can help many families make positive changes to provide a safer environment for their keiki. CWS offers services to families – working together with partners to build a community that a family can rely on for years to come – to keep their children safe and on a path of well-being. A majority of children placed in foster care each year are reunified with their parents or family members after services are completed.

For more information about foster care or serving as a resource family in Hawai‘i, visit the Partners in Development and the DHS websites.

Members of the media are welcome to attend the ceremony tomorrow. Please contact Ke‘ōpū Reelitz for more information about location and time.

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Media Contact:
Ke‘ōpū Reelitz, Public Information Officer
Department of Human Services
Email: [email protected]
Cell Phone: 372-4704

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