Hawai’i-born nonprofit shares Transition to Success® pilot study results with other community-based organizations, offers to provide certifications in an effort to more quickly deploy this innovative model of care proven to break the cycle of poverty

HONOLULU– Child & Family Service (CFS) hosted a lunchtime gathering of more than 30 local nonprofit leaders and partners yesterday at the Prince Waikiki, to share its extremely promising pilot program results of Transition To Success® (TTS). CFS ran these two pilot programs on Maui and Kaua’i, which showed statistical improvement in positive changes in the lives of participants. This groundbreaking, anti-poverty model of care revolutionizes how community-based organizations (CBOs) can combat generational poverty, a condition that plagues our islands. To faster deploy this innovative care model statewide, CFS is offering 60 licenses to train other Hawai‘i nonprofits this summer. For more information on the TTS pilot study, visit Child & Family Service | Transition To Success® (TTS) (childandfamilyservice.org).

“The Transition to Success pilot program data clearly demonstrates transformative change that benefits
Hawai‘i’s people. The time is now to start working collaboratively with other community-based organizations so we support more local families, changing the course of their life trajectory to achieve success,” said CFS President & CEO Amanda Pump.

CFS deliberately measured the impact of TTS across social determinants over the three-year pilot period. The data indicates that CFS has a clear and focused way to help move families in Hawai‘i out of poverty – by reviewing and assessing scorecard information that identifies progress, it allows social service providers the flexibility to adapt to each participant’s needs. Data also indicates that it is important to expand the TTS model across the entire human service sector in Hawai‘i. TTS has proven to be scalable, sustainable, measurable, multi-generational, and transformational.

“Due to the substantial impact this model has made in Maui and Kauai, CFS purchased 200 licenses and
now hopes to quickly extend the reach of TTS statewide by allocating 60 licenses to collaborate with other nonprofits. This model will strengthen individuals and families by providing personalized support,” added Pump.

The 21 social determinants of health represent life areas that assess conditions in which families and
individuals are exposed to, including mental health, childcare, income, parenting skills and housing. Through self-assessment, participants address each determinant with personalized support, which includes coaching, mentorship, connecting to community resources and partnerships to focus on each life area and help place participants on a pathway to building a life of stability and fulfillment.

Novelyn Hinazumi, Director of Kaua’i Programs at Child & Family Service, explains that the model changes the perspective of the participants and their view on their poverty situation. “So many things are stacked up against them,” she said. “By changing the perspective of their situation and honing in on how it feels to live in poverty, this helps social services staff better understand what the participants are going through,” she said.

The model addresses basic needs, reviews assessments and surveys, and maps out dreams to better determine what participants want to work on such as housing or income, while outlining next steps to reach these goals. It’s powerful as it doesn’t address one issue but helps to determine the underlying core issues.

One TTS participant, Spirit Lahti of Kaua’i, felt broken when she started the program. “When I first started my journey with CFS, I felt hopeless with no sense of direction. I am a domestic violence survivor and recovering addict, as well as a mother. I felt like CFS gave me that caring and compassionate side and I felt understood and safe, which you don’t really find when you’re in those kinds of situations,” she said.

“When I first started, I didn’t really have goals or dreams. I was just living day by day and trying to survive. Being a part of CFS, I came to the realization that I really want to be a part of helping other people and advocating through the same things that I have been through. I feel like that is a big piece of my heart and I really want to be a part of that. So, I would like to go back to school and hopefully one day be a part of CFS.”

Nonprofit organizations interested in learning more about the Transition To Success® framework and
obtaining a certification of the anti-poverty model are encouraged to complete an interest form here.

Contacts:

Nancy Arcayna/808.227.8736
nancy@pangcomm.com or
Jacob Aki/808.230.9071
jacob@pangcomm.com
Jennifer Bowers/808.371.2882
jennifer@pangcomm.com
Pang Communications