Bridging Aging & Disability
Hawai'i Statewide Action Team (SAT)
The Hawai‘i Statewide Action Team (SAT) is a group of leaders from different organizations who work together to improve services for older adults and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Members include staff from aging agencies, disability programs, health services, schools, family advocacy groups, and community organizations. The team brings together many voices to help make services more inclusive, respectful, and responsive to the needs of the community.
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What Does SAT Do?
The Hawai‘i Statewide Action Team (SAT) helps aging and disability agencies work together to better support people as they grow older. Their work includes:
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Sharing ideas and resources across agencies.
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Identifying gaps in services and finding ways to fill them.
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Supporting culturally responsive care, especially for Native Hawaiian and rural communities.
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Encouraging family and self-advocate involvement in planning and decision-making.
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Promoting person-centered approaches that honor each individual’s needs and strengths.
Why It Matters
As more people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) age, it’s important that aging and disability services are connected and coordinated. The SAT helps make sure:
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Agencies don’t work in isolation — instead, they collaborate and learn from each other.
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People with disabilities get the support they need as they age.
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Families and communities are part of the conversation.
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Hawai‘i builds a stronger, more inclusive system of care.
Milestones and Highlights
Expanded awareness of, and training on, dementia and its intersection with I/DD, as well as access to resources, by:
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Inviting the National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices to Hawaii for a comprehensive two-day training.
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Developing the Hawaii Guidebook on Dementia and I/DD.
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Organizing Kupuna and Disability Resource Fairs statewide
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Collaborating with the Alzheimer's Association
Launched a high school internship initiative aimed at encouraging future direct support workers by giving students hands-on experience in a care setting. This has evolved into a partnership with the Department of Education's Career Pathways initiatives.
Developed a community-friendly resource: an informational fridge magnet featuring the Hawaii Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) as a key point of contact.
Improved accessibility and relevance of the ADRC website.
Improved emergency preparedness for individuals with I/DD by creating the All About Me personal information guide
Who is on SAT
State Co-Leads
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Daintry Bartoldus – Executive Administrator, Hawaiʻi State Council on Developmental Disabilities
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Amelia Kyewich-Kaneholani – Program Specialist - Kauai, Hawaiʻi State Council on Developmental Disabilities
Members
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Kealohakuʻualohakuʻupokiʻi (Poki’i) Balaz, DNP, EMBA, APRN – Health and Aging Policy Fellow, American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow
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Caroline Cadirao – Director, Department of Health - Executive Office on Aging
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Louis Erteschik – Executive Director, Hawaiʻi Disability Rights Center
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Melissa Gibo – Vice President of Programs, Lanakila Pacific
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Meghan Miller, Ph.D. – Director, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa - Center on Disability Studies
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Jody Mishan – Program Coordinator, Alzheimer’s Disease Programs Initiative, Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi
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Timothy Renken – Self-Advocate and Chair, Self-Advocacy Advisory Council
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Tani Salazar – Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Dementias Services Coordinator, Department of Health - Executive Office on Aging
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Nicole Shlaack – Evaluation Manager, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa - Center on Disability Studies
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Diane Terada – Division Administrator, Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi
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Cristina Valenzuela – Legal Services Developer, Department of Health - Executive Office on Aging