Nearly 1,800 homeless children stayed in emergency and transitional shelters throughout the Islands for part of 2004 and 2005, according to a new report that gives the first detailed demographic look at Hawai'i's homeless population served by state-funded services.

The children, 17 and younger, represented one-third of the roughly 5,600 residents who lived in shelters between July 2004 and June 2005.

The report also for the first time gives a rough idea, though somewhat dated, of how many kids became homeless as their families pitched tents along the beaches or were living in makeshift quarters in the hills, valleys and neighborhoods throughout Hawai'i.

Nearly 1,000 children received state-funded outreach services, which were provided to those who were homeless but not staying in shelters, the study shows. The 961 children represented 20 percent of the roughly 4,800 people who received outreach services since July 2003 and whose cases still were considered active during the studied period.

The report by the Department of Human Services and the University of Hawai'i's Center on the Family is being released this week as the state grapples with a homeless problem that has mushroomed into a full-blown social crisis, straining schools, the healthcare system and other government and private services, especially along the Wai'anae Coast. Because of escalating rents, the crisis has worsened since the period covered by the report, forcing more people —particularly more families — on to the beaches.

COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

The study's authors stressed that the report was not meant to be an actual count of Hawai'i's homeless population but a look at who uses the state's services.

The report is the first comprehensive review of that user population. It tends to understate the magnitude of the homeless crisis, however, because it doesn't include those who opt not to use any services — some mentally ill fall into that category — and those who use services not funded by the state, such as some church-run programs.

The report also doesn't delve into the problem of the so-called hidden homeless, in which multiple families cram into a relative's or friend's house or apartment because they can't afford homes of their own. Some consider that problem more widespread.

The study marks the first time since 2003 that demographic data on homeless children statewide has been compiled. But the earlier statistics were based on a sampling of the homeless population, with the results extrapolated on a statewide basis. Some have questioned the accuracy of the earlier numbers, which showed that nearly 15 percent of the homeless were children.

This latest report, for the most part, tallies the actual number of homeless served by state-funded programs, though information about the children was provided by their parents or guardians.

No one knows for sure how many children are homeless today in Hawai'i, partly because data is lacking on the overall homeless population. Getting accurate numbers on a population considered transient and sometimes reluctant to acknowledge their homeless status is difficult.

Yet the new statistics underscore the dire need for more services aimed at children and the need to better focus what is offered, according to homeless advocates.

INSUFFICIENT OFFERINGS

Sylvia Yuen, director of UH's Center on the Family, said the current offerings are insufficient and not well coordinated, despite the good intentions of those involved.

In the Department of Education, for instance, only one person is assigned to deal with homeless issues throughout the state, even though hundreds of students are believed to be from families without homes.

In the shelters, not enough is done to provide children with the help they need, even though studies show such youngsters tend to substantially lag their peers academically, in health measures and in other ways, according to Yuen.

"The cards are just stacked against them," she said.

"There simply isn't sufficient resources and people's time devoted to what should be done in order to meet the needs of this very vulnerable group."

Kapolei resident Cheryl Lewis knows all about those vulnerabilities.

She has two granddaughters, 8 and 10, living on the beach and another one, 14, who spent nine months on the beach in 2004 but now lives with Lewis in her Kapolei home.

The grandmother said she saw her grandchildren's demeanor change as they tried to cope with school responsibilities and other issues while dealing with the harsh realities of living outdoors on a Wai'anae Coast beach.

Substance abuse, domestic violence and other problems are not uncommon in the crowded encampments and can affect those nearby who aren't entrenched in the problems.

Instead of being happy-go-lucky and full of energy, Lewis' grandchildren became more negative, more depressed and more somber the longer they remained on the beach, she said.

"The suffering I saw them go through, the pain, the agony — their attitudes changed," she said. "It's like they had to grow up before their time. Sometimes I would be at home, and I would just cry, thinking about it."

A major revamping of the way the shelters deal with children is needed, Yuen said, and that could include such things as providing extensive medical check-ups once a child arrives, scheduling on-going educational activities and hiring and training employees with the needs of children in mind.

Sandra Miyoshi, homeless program branch administrator for the Hawai'i Public Housing Authority, acknowledged that more services aimed at children are needed. She expects that to become a greater focus as the state works with shelter operators to improve programs.

"Up until now, it's been just trying to stem the flow" of the homeless population to get families into shelters, Miyoshi said.

Miyoshi said the number of homeless kids has grown dramatically the past few years. "The children in the family shelters just overwhelm the population," she said.

$6 MILLION TO HELP

This fiscal year, the state is spending about $6 million to help pay for operations at 30 homeless shelters, compared with $3 million only two years ago. Twenty-one of the 30 shelters are for families with children, and those typically offer parenting classes and other programs stressing family bonds. Some shelters also offer education services, such as tutoring or preschool programs, or are linked with outside agencies that offer such programs.

Michael Ullman, a homeless advocate who worked on the new report, said a lot of people who use the shelters do not come off the streets or beaches but become homeless because of domestic violence situations or other circumstances.

Ullman said the report will help officials understand who is being served by the state's services and who is not.

For instance, Hawaiians and other Pacific islanders were substantially overrepresented — compared with overall state population estimates — in receiving shelter services, while Japanese and Filipinos were substantially underrepresented, according to the data.

Other findings from the report: