Responsive Caregivers of Hawaii

07/05/2025

Disability Pride Month is a special occasion to recognize the diversity, strength, and achievements of the disability community. This year is particularly momentous as we commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a groundbreaking piece of legislation that has positively impacted the lives of millions.

07/03/2025

Republicans in Congress pushed through the largest Medicaid cuts in history, a move advocates say will inevitably shrink services for people with disabilities across the nation.

07/03/2025

We are outraged and heartbroken that, just hours before we are supposed to celebrate the promise of freedom and justice for all, the House passed a budget that strips vital care from millions by gutting Medicaid.

These cuts to Medicaid will hurt the health and well-being of children, aging adults, disabled people, and our families for generations. It will devastate rural hospitals and community health centers, and force people to choose between lifesaving care and basic necessities.

We cannot stay silent while electeds serve the greedy at the expense of millions of Americans who simply need care, trading our lives for lies and line items. Independence Day should be a time to recommit to the values of fairness and opportunity for all—not to dismantle the safety net that makes those values real.

We will continue to hold our elected officials accountable for their actions, and stand with caregivers and their families. Freedom is a commitment we make to take care of each other. It means nothing if our national policies continue to make inequality worse, along with quality of life.

07/03/2025

07/03/2025

Governor Josh Green, M.D., U.S. Senators Brian Schatz and Mazie K. Hirono, and U.S. Representatives Ed Case and Jill Tokuda today released the following statement after Congress passed a Republican tax bill that will cut healthcare coverage through Med-QUEST for more than 40,000 people in Hawai‘i, gut food assistance programs that more than 20,000 Hawai‘i families rely on, and raise the national debt by $3.3 trillion. The bill now goes to the president to be signed into law.

“The Republican tax bill breaks promises, and guts funding for healthcare and food assistance that thousands of Hawai‘i families rely on every day. It’s a terrible bill that we all strongly opposed.

“While it won’t be easy to stop all the damage from these cuts, we’re moving quickly to protect our communities. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be meeting with state and local officials, community partners, and service providers to assess the fiscal impact on Hawai‘i and develop operational plans to blunt the harm. That includes coordinating resources, setting local priorities, and making sure the most vulnerable aren’t left without support. These next few years won’t be easy, but we are mobilizing now to respond, protect our people, and make sure Hawai‘i can weather what’s coming.”

07/02/2025

Some ladies from our day program enjoyed an unforgettable glam day at Nordstrom Ala Moana, thanks to Mahealani Diego, who manages the MAC makeup counter and generously organized and hosted this exciting experience. Mahalo to Mahealani for making a meaningful difference in their lives.

07/02/2025

Congressman Ed Case visited our adult day health center for adults with developmental disabilities, a truly empowering experience for all. All of our program participants rely on Medicaid for their well-being and most of them are wards of the state. Preserving their Medicaid benefits would enable them to thrive in their communities instead of being institutionalized.

06/23/2025

Just weeks after the U.S. House approved billions in cuts to Medicaid, the Senate is considering chopping the program even more, a move that disability advocates say would have dire consequences.

06/09/2025

The Trump administration is quietly working to fast-track changes to a key disability rights law by circumventing typical procedures, advocates are warning.

05/30/2025

Happy Aloha Friday! Our day program participants enjoyed an exciting visit to the Polynesian Cultural Center.

The Polynesian Cultural Center first opened its doors in 1963 as a way for students at the adjacent Church College of Hawaiʻi (now Brigham Young University Hawaiʻi) to earn money for their education and as a means to preserve and portray the cultures, art and crafts of the people of Polynesia.

The center has grown to become Hawaiʻi’s number-one paid attraction, drawing nearly a million visitors a year. Mahalo for having us!

05/15/2025

Our Nurse Supervisor, Cherry Joy “CJ” Sercena recently attended the Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association (DDNA) conference in Baltimore. While there, she earned the Certified Developmental Disabilities Nurse (CDDN) credential.

CDDN is a professional credential for nurses specializing in developmental disabilities. It's awarded by the DDNA and signifies expertise in providing comprehensive care to individuals with developmental disabilities. To become a CDDN, nurses must meet specific prerequisites, pass a certification exam, and maintain membership in the DDNA.

Passing the DDNA certification examination demonstrates advanced knowledge, experience, and commitment to the specialty of intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) nursing. CJ has met the requirements set forth by DDNA and is now recognized as a certified professional in this field. Congratulations CJ!