Early Head Start (EHS)

MFSS tracks the progress of our EHS students using Teaching Strategies Gold (TSG) which monitors each child’s progress through five developmental domains. In 2014, our children met or exceeded the TSG Widely Held Expectations in these domains as follows: Social/Emotional-97%; the Gross Motor 96%; Fine Motor 98%; Language 96%; and Cognition 97%.

What Our Families Say:

From L.V. “I am a single parent of five children and work two jobs just to make ends meet. I have a child currently attending the Early Head Start center in Lahaina. I also have another child that has graduated from this center. The people and the staff are amazing and they not only care about the children that attend the center, they also care about the parents. It has been a blessing to have two of my children attend the Lahaina Center and have the skills they need to grow and be a part of an older preschool. Both of my children have exceeded the school readiness goals for their age and are continuing to learn. The teachers have catered their teaching so that my children are constantly learning and not stuck. Being a part of the agency has also led me to participating in the policy council. This is one of the best ways for a parent to give back. It’s a parent voice in the agency which is very important. Maui Family Support Services are here to support parents and get our children school ready.”
L.V.

From K.G. “The biggest concern in our life when we started MFSS was keeping our houses safe and clean for our child, and we had lots of people come over all the time to check on us. It gave us lots of stress. Then we were referred to MFSS by CPS. Now people hardly come over and if they do they usually call the house first. We just meet with the MFSS team. The house is a lot safer and cleaner. MFSS gave us a lot of information on what is safe and unsafe, how to deal with situations and lots of other useful information. It has helped us a lot because without them, I wouldn’t know what’s dangerous for my son and I probably would still be on drugs. Long story short, MFSS has helped us out a lot.”
K.G.

Hana Infant and Toddler Development Center

The Center opened in May, 2015. Therefore, it is too soon to ascertain the impacts of the program. However, the center has added four jobs to the Hana community, and is making it possible for families to work or extend their education knowing that their young child is in a safe and nurturing environment.

Healthy Families America (HFA)

Approximately 30 evaluations have been or are currently being conducted at the state of site level across the country. Key findings show positive outcomes in the areas of:

• Reducing child maltreatment
• Ensuring healthy child development
• Encouraging school readiness
• Promoting family self-sufficiency
• Demonstrating positive parenting

MFSS is currently providing HFA home-visiting services to over 110 families throughout Maui County.

Teen Services

The MFSS Teen Services Program provides the Botvin LifeSkills ® Training, a groundbreaking substance abuse prevention program in public intermediate and high schools on Maui. Nationally, the program has demonstrated the following effectiveness in youth:

• Cuts tobacco use by 87%
• Cuts alcohol use by 60%
• Cuts marijuana use by 75%
• Cuts methamphetamine use by 68%
• Cuts polydrug use by 66%
• Reduces Pack-a-Day Smoking by 25%
• Decreases Use of Inhalants, Narcotics and Hallucinogens
• Reduces Violence
• Reduces risky driving behavior
• Demonstrates Effects on HIV Risk Behavior

Sources: (1) Journal of Behavioral Medicine (1983), (2) Journal of Studies on Alcohol (1984), (3) Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (1990), (4) Journal of the American Medical Association (1995), and (5) Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine (2006).

In 2014, MFSS served 361 youth through our Teen Services program.

Fatherhood Involvement Team (FIT)

MFSS is currently providing services to over 253 fathers in Maui County. The program has been working closely with Selva Lewin-Bizan, Ph.D. of the University of Hawaii’s Center on the Family to research the efficacy of the MFSS Fatherhood Involvement Team. In the spring of 2015 she presented the draft of her brief to the National Fatherhood Initiative providing background information about the 24/7 Dad® program in Hawaii. Preliminary results show statistically significant changes in fathering practices for participants in our program who received services.

What Fathers Say About the Program:

“I’m very grateful for this program. I’m learning the values and tools to become a good parent.”
R.G.

“I am a 22 year old male from Lahaina. I’ve been incarcerated for the past 2 years and came out with really no idea how to deal or raise my two children. Thanks to the Fatherhood involvement Team, I am now learning how to communicate better not only with my 2 children, but my girlfriend as well.
J.

“I feel a change in my old communication skills for the better. I have started to get along with my wife a little more and also find myself on a different level with my children. I plan on bringing more fathers just like me to these sessions…”
J. B.

In 2015, MFSS Served Over 6000 Participants

Including visiting 1100 new mothers seen at Maui Memorial Medical Center, completing 4,200 home visits, holding 72 socialization or family days to decrease parent and family isolation, and over 200 group sessions with parents, fathers and teens.

For More Info See the Annual Report