State news briefs for June 21: Monk seal pup relocated, 4th annual Hawaiʻi Made, mental health licensure

Famous monk seal pup safely relocated to new, quieter home on Oʻahu

Mission accomplished! A famous Hawaiian monk seal pup was successfully relocated from busy Kaimana Beach in Waikīkī to a quieter shoreline on Oʻahu.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries partners at Hawai‘i Marine Animal Response informed National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries on June 16 that mother Kaiwi, or RK96, officially weaned her pup — now identified as ‘Ānela ‘Auinalā, or RV96 — allowing for the transfer to happen. The quieter new beach will help the pup learn normal, wild behaviors young seals need for survival — away from large crowds.

‘Ānela ‘Auinalā was taken to a Fisheries facility for a brief health check, preventative vaccination and to receive official flipper identification tags before personnel with Fisheries, Hawai‘i Marine Animal Response and Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources safely collected and moved her. A temporary satellite tag was also attached to the seal so her movements can be mapped and development monitored during the coming months.

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Fourth annual Hawaiʻi Made Conference to be focused on food innovation

The Business Development and Support Division of Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism will host the fourth annual Hawaiʻi Made Conference — “Driving the Future of Food Innovation” — on June 23 at Sheraton Waikīkī Beach Resort, located at 2255 Kalākaua Ave., in Honolulu.

This year’s conference brings together Hawaiʻi farmers, value-added producers, food manufacturers, entrepreneurs, supply chain partners and resource providers for a full day focused on the Food and Product Innovation Network, a coordinated effort to align training, product development, shared production resources, technical assistance, financing and market access for Hawaiʻi producers.

It features sessions about food safety, processing standards, labeling rules, shared-use facilities, financing, Hawaiʻi Made brand value, distribution, logistics, marketing and export readiness plus a keynote luncheon and the Mākeke, an event marketplace featuring Hawaiʻi-made products, vendor displays and business support organizations. View the full schedule or register to attend at the conference website.

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Pathway for mental health professionals expanded ahead of July 1 launch

Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs is preparing for the July 1 implementation of Act 93 (2024), which creates new provisional licenses for associate psychologists, associate marriage and family therapists and associate mental health counselors. The law is intended to reduce barriers for emerging professionals, strengthen Hawaiʻi’s mental health workforce and improve access to care statewide.

Applications opened June 1, and additional staff and resources are dedicated to process applications as quickly as possible. Licensure requirements differ by profession.

Application materials and program-specific information are available on the respective board and program pages on the Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs website. Contact the Professional and Vocational Licensing Division at 1-844-808-3222, extension 1, for general inquiries. Applicants are encouraged to check the website regularly for updates, application materials and frequently asked questions.