(AP) – The number of children in foster care in Hawaii hit a 20-year low last year, an encouraging development for the troubled state Child Welfare Services Branch. The agency acknowledges in a newly released report that it isn’t sure what caused the drop, but believes it is largely due to “a shift in mindset among staff” as the system moves ahead with reforms. Elladine Olevao is branch administrator of the agency. She traced the decline in part to the launch of Family First Hawai’i. A major component of Family First is leaving children in their homes instead of removing them, and supporting their families with substance abuse treatment, mental health services and parenting training.

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