In Episode 3 of Community in Conversation, Executive Director Billi-Jo Pike sits down with Kukunaokalā Yoshimoto, Executive Director of Blueprint for Change, in recognition of Child Abuse and Neglect Awareness Month.

This conversation explores the critical shift from intervention to prevention and what it truly takes to keep Hawaiʻi’s keiki safe.

Kukuna shares the history behind Hawaiʻi’s child welfare reform and the creation of the Neighborhood Place model, a community-driven, culturally grounded approach designed to support families before crisis occurs. Rooted in aloha and shaped by the unique needs of each community, this model has helped transform how support is delivered across the state.

Drawing from his personal journey into social work, Kukuna reflects on the power of early intervention, the importance of meeti ...