The Hawaii Chrysalis uses evidenced based, environmentally and culturally focused, intergenerationally supported activities to strengthen bonds within families involved in the foster care system. Foster, adoptive or guardian family members build trust, understanding and connections, increasing the likelihood of a stable family placement, and reducing the burden on the Department of Human Services. We partner with local kupuna and businesses to provide interconnectedness and sustainability.

Please describe your innovation?

The innovation of Hawaii Chrysalis is to use unique trust-building experiences to give Hawaii foster families opportunities to thrive. Teens in foster care are at risk of failed family placements, which can lead them to enter adulthood unsupported. To help these youth succeed, we facilitate weekend retreats for families where we create a feeling of o’hana among the retreat participants through experiential workshops and group sharing. Kupuna co-facilitate workshops. The proven benefits of animal therapy are experienced as they have the opportunity to swim with dolphins from our chartered boat. Later, they share their experiences of connection, trust and empowerment. The retreat is the launching event for the long-term support that will be provided through support groups, family therapy and reunion activities. Over time, our participants become mentors for others who are new to the program, thereby creating sustainability through an intergenerational, interconnected support network.

What is the problem or situation that your innovation seeks to address?

Strengthening and preserving the home placement of foster teens by creating stable family units, thereby improving the teen's chances of lifelong success. This will reduce the burden on the Child Welfare system, allowing them to focus more on families remaining in the system. Benefits include: Reduced negative teen behaviors Improved academic success and likelihood of high school graduation and continuation to higher education Decreased involvement in the Juvenile Justice system Increased awareness of and participation in pro-social activities Increased parental understanding of teen behavior and parenting strategies Creating a mentorship program for teens Providing opportunities for kupuna and teens to connect and share Returning kupuna to a valued and respected position in society Decreasing child abuse Creating support networks for teens, parents and families Decreasing teen pregnancy Healing the effects of trauma Opportunities for reparative and healthy attachment Ongoing support

What effort have you made to test out your new idea?

There have been 2 pilot retreat weekends, in December 2011 and January 2012. 6 families attended each. Questions were asked pre- and post-retreat and the responses were scaled. Outcome measures (attached) revealed that trust and communication improved among retreat participants and that they were more likely to work out their issues rather than hastily terminate the foster placement. Some quotes from the program participants include: “I trust her more than I did when we first came”“I can call her mom now”“We are much happier with each other”“We are finally building up a daughter and mother relationship”She is “more open about feelings with me”“She said she was lucky to be in my home” “This was an unforgettable experience for us to share and talk about in the future” A foster family with a teen who is selectively mute due to past traumas reported a dramatic increase in communication on the drive home from the weekend. Weekend activities helped the teen to feel safe and understood.

What is particularly noteworthy or novel about your innovation?

Our retreats and follow up activities, such as swimming with dolphins and connecting in natural settings, are therapeutic and experiential. Teens and parents are given workshops separately and together. Topics include Identifying Challenges, Connecting, Realistic Expectations, Communication, Trust, Self Care and Working Together as a Team. The workshops and workbook are designed to give them opportunities to communicate and problem solve effectively and offer opportunities for connection. Participants create and keep feelings-inspired craft projects. Through utilizing the natural and human resources of Hawaii, the youth and families in our program create shared memories while experiencing a deeper understanding of each other within the culture and beauty that surrounds them everyday. Being on and in the ocean gives participants the chance to support and encourage one another as they step outside their comfort zone. Follow up support is given to the family in their home and community.

What impact do you expect your innovation will have on the problem or situation described in the previous question?

We expect our innovation to improve the stability of foster and long-term family placements, thereby improving the youths' chances of successful futures. The ongoing support they receive from their families, support networks, mentors and therapeutic activities will ensure long term success. We create shared memories to refer to when times get tough. The programs will make Hawaii better by: Strengthening families of Hawaii Keeping teens safely included in a healthy family unit Providing opportunities for youth and families to experience the natural gifts of Hawaii together Facilitating healthy relationship connections Connecting and interconnecting generations Reducing the burden on the State of Hawaii Department of Human Services by strengthening and preserving family units Helping to prepare Hawaii’s teens to be stronger, confident, successful adults. Our mentorship program will help youth to grow into leaders who can stand by each other as they transition into adulthood.

What other community partners will you need if your innovation is to scale beyond your organization?

Community partners have already come forward to support our innovation. Hotels, restaurants, retail stores, charter boat companies, musicians and others have expressed support for our program, as evidenced by their involvement in the 2 pilot weekends. When The Hawaii Chrysalis grows and is positioned to serve larger numbers of families with more programs, there will be a need to include more partners. In the future we would like to add a community center for kupuna and youth to share and connect. This may include formation of a partnership with another community member for co-location. Further, we will be looking to identify community members who can share their experiences with the youth as we continue to connect youth and kupuna. Ongoing mentoring support is a key component to ensure sustainability of the successful connections and changes and to encourage further growth. Community members will be identified to provide this as well. As we expand additional funders will be needed.

Why are your organization, partners, and key personnel suited to take on this project?

The Hawaii Chrysalis Retreats founders and facilitators Cyndy Meyer and Shelley Shane have many years of experience working with youth and families in Hawaii. Ms Meyer has a Masters of Social Work and Ms Shane is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a Masters of Professional Counseling. They have both worked with numerous social service agencies as Therapists and Program Coordinators. They continue to work closely with several offices of the State of Hawaii, including the Department of Health, Department of Education, Department of Human Services and the Family Court. Many Hawaii community members support the project with funds or gifts-in-kind, including The Friends of the Children’s Justice Center, Office Max, KTA Superstores, Jeans Warehouse, The Royal Kona Resort, Courtyard’s King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel and West Hawaii Community Health Center. Sea Hawaii Rafting, provides the boat, captain, snorkeling and safety equipment for the trust building activity.