County mulls space for Maui Children’s Justice Center

Move would allow center to offer services for victims with prosecutor’s office nearby

A bill that would allow the state Children's Justice Center of Maui to use county space to provide services for sexual assault and domestic violence victims and witnesses is moving forward, which, if approved, would be the first site of its kind in Hawaii, according to the county's prosecuting attorney.

The bill would authorize the county to sign an agreement with the state to lease 2,070 square feet of office space at the county's building located at 2103 Wells St. in Wailuku for the Hawaii Judiciary's CJC Maui branch.

Under the lease, the state would pay the county a monthly rental fee of $3,400 for a lease term of four years and 11 months, said Maui County Council Member Mike Molina during the council's Government Relations, Ethics and Transparency Committee meeting on Tuesday morning.

The Maui CJC currently serves Maui, Molokai and Lanai victims out of a Wailuku office -- there are satellite interview sites on Molokai and Lanai, according to the Judiciary website.

However, a second office would be able to provide joint services in closer proximity to the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney and better enable all parties to pursue justice for child victims and child witnesses of crimes, Molina said.

"This is a good plan for our children," Maui CJC Program Director Jacqueline Cockett said Tuesday morning. "It's important to be co-located where we have other agencies that would work together with all in one center. This will be beneficial for our children and the victims to help them not wait on other agencies to come to see them."

The center would be open from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday through Friday, though there will be options for after-hours on weekdays and the weekends.

It would be staffed with the program director, secretary and forensic interviewer from the Children's Justice Center as well as Paul Tonnessen, the executive director of nonprofit Friends of the Children's Justice Center of Maui.

Maui County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Martin said this will help officials to get "one move closer" to making the program a reality.

The first floor of the building at 2103 Wells St. is currently undergoing renovations to accommodate the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney's Children's Peace Center, according to the proposed agreement. Floor plans show the department having offices next door to the Children's Justice Center, which would consist of a conference room, a medical exam room, interview spaces, a kitchenette and a reception/play area.

Construction on the project is coming along nicely, Martin said, adding that builders are getting ready to hang drywall this week and are on track to move staff into the new center by the end of the year.

"The benefits to the children and victims of Maui County, I know you are all well familiar with," Martin said. "This will be the first site of its kind in the state of Hawaii that we're all very proud of."

Council Members Molina, Tamara Paltin, Gabe Johnson, Kelly Takaya King, Keani Rawlins-Fernandez, Tasha Kama and Alice Lee voted unanimously to recommend passage of the bill. Council Member Yuki Lei Sugimura was excused.

The bill will move to the full council at a later date for approval, said Molina, who chairs the committee.

"I think the bill is pretty self-explanatory and I think it's a good move and I have complete faith in the department in putting this program together," said King, who holds the South Maui residency seat.

* Dakota Grossman can be reached at dgrossman@mauinews.com.