The Hawaii Department of Human Services (DHS) and local foster parents have reached an agreement regarding the amount that should be paid to cover the expense of caring for children in foster care. The agreement is intended to bring to a close a federal class action lawsuit that was filed in December 2013, and a related case filed in state court.
When the lawsuits were filed, foster parents were provided with a stipend of $529 per…
In April 2016, the Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice released a report entitled The State of Poverty in Hawaii: How Hawaiis Residents Are Faring Post-Recovery. The report brings together the most recent available data to provide a snapshot of how low-income residents have fared after the economic recovery.
While some indicators have improved, families continue to struggle. Hawaii has the highest cost of living but the lowest wages in the country…