Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Reserving front row seats on sixty-one aiga buses for residents with special needs, including senior citizens along with day care centers operating 24-hours a day, are two of the new programs that Gov. Lemanu Peleti Palepoi Sialega Mauga shared with lawmakers during his State of the Territory Address on Monday.

Lemanu, who delivered his address in Samoan, told lawmakers that these two programs are overseen by the Department of Human and Social Services, bringing direct services to a certain sector of the community.

RESERVE SEATING-PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

According to the Governor’s 116-page State of the Territory Comprehensive Report, distributed to lawmakers and others who attended the Fono joint session, the “Reserved Seating on Public Transportation” for people with disabilities and senior citizens” program is a Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC) funded project.

“In building an inclusive community for persons with disabilities and seniors, for the first time in [American Samoa’s] history”, DHSS through a DDPC-funded project, was successful in transforming American Samoa’s public transportation system by signing up 20 owners of 61 buses to designate the front seats of their buses as, “reserved seating for persons with disabilities and seniors” using sticker decals, according to governor’s report.

Placards are also affixed to the front dashboard and/ or windshield of the 61 buses designating them as, “Priority Seating Available”, it says

DAY CARE 24/7

The report also states that in 2021, DHSS transformed the child care industry by establishing the first 24/ 7 child care center to serve not just parents who work during the day but also healthcare workers, first responders and other essential critical infrastructure workers who work after-hours.

The 24/7 center is at the LBJ Medical Center, according to the report, which also points out the increase in the number of child care providers from 24 in 2020 to 111 today — including the 24/ 7 center at LBJ.

It says that there are 30 child care centers, 3 family child care homes and 78 In-Home providers, which target essential critical infrastructure area workers who are subject to non-traditional work hours and/ or 24/7 work schedules.

Other improvements in child care services, overseen by the Child Care Division of DHSS, according to the report are:

•           Increased provider monthly payment rates from $200 to $600 for children in childcare centers and family childcare settings;

•           Created over 450 jobs funded through the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF);

•           Improved wages for employees working in child care centers/family child care homes. As of Oct.1, 2021, the minimum wage for employees of a child care setting was increased to $5.40, but 64% of employees in child care centers/ family child care homes are earning $5.50 or more; and

•           Provided supplemental stipends to qualifying teachers in center and family child care settings who work at least 75% of their scheduled hours each month. For 2021, an average of 171 teachers each month qualified for stipends, averaging a total of over $34,300 disbursed each month.

OTHER DHSS ACHIEVEMENTS

The governor’s report also summarizes other achievements by DHSS in 2021:

•           established a 9-8-8 Suicide and Mental Health Helpline and Crisis Call Center that is open 24/7;

•           participated in the Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer Program (P-EBT) to provide food assistance for school children who lost access to free meals at school because of the pandemic;

•           provided food assistance benefits to self-employed individuals and workers who were laid off, furloughed or on reduced working hours because of the pandemic;

•           authorized the purchase of taro, green bananas, breadfruit and local hydroponic produce using Cash Value Voucher/Benefits (CVV/B) issued by the ASWIC Program for fruits and vegetables; and

•           will soon authorize local restaurants to accept ASNAP food coupons for meals for the elderly, blind and disabled.

According to the report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS) approved DHSS’s request dated May 31, 2021 to authorize select restaurants to accept ASNAP food coupons.

“This now allows ASNAP recipients, who are low- income elderly, blind, and disabled to enjoy a meal in our local restaurants using their ASNAP benefits,” it says.

In his Samoan address to lawmakers, Lemanu said discussions are currently ongoing on authorizing selected restaurants with more information to come out soon.