Joy Bliss Ph.D., RN, Chair HPU BSN Program, and Amanda Pump, CEO, Child and Family Services.
Hawai‘i Pacific University continues to live its mission through community engagement aligned with the strategic pillar:
“Cultivate Sense of Place & Community Engagement.”
Joy Bliss, Ph.D., RN, BSN Chair and Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing, was recently invited to attend the Child & Family Service (CFS) Annual Board Meeting and Luncheon celebrating 127 years of service to Hawai‘i’s families. The event highlighted CFS’s commitment to strengthening family resilience and innovation across the islands.
This partnership builds on a connection established when Amanda Pump, President & CEO of CFS, participated in a CEO & Student “Talk Story” session with the College of Liberal Arts and the School of Nursing at HPU. Since then, the collaboration has grown into a developing lecture and community education series as well as possible clinical placements of nursing students within CFS’s community Mental Health Teen programs.
Beginning this academic year, HPU third-year pediatric nursing students will partner with CFS through a monthly presentation series where students will share their PDSA (Plan–Do–Study–Act) poster projects with CFS staff. Topics include:
- Vaping and addiction in children
- Declining teen mental health and well-being
- Violence among school-age youth
These sessions will be offered in person at the CFS Pacific Guardian Center offices or virtually to increase accessibility.
This initiative directly reflects HPU’s pillars and strategic priority to cultivate partnerships across the Pacific, integrate student learning with community needs, and strengthen relationships with local organizations serving Hawai‘i’s families.
Through this collaboration, HPU students gain authentic community engagement experience while contributing evidence-based knowledge to support families, youth, and service providers—advancing health, education, and resilience across our island communities as ʻohana.
