Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 2, Number 5, 1 Mei 1985 — Recovered Aleoholie, Drug Addict Thanks OHA, Hina Mauka for Kokua [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Recovered Aleoholie, Drug Addict Thanks OHA, Hina Mauka for Kokua

"It was that extra three months whieh I needed so 1 could have the necessary tools to eome back into the community and survive. OHA (Office of Hawaiian Affairs) eame to my rescue just in time." This was the statement echoed by a recovered aleoholie and drug addict who was assisted by OHA funding for six Hawaiians at Hina Mauka facility on the grounds of the Hawaii State Hospital in Kaneohe.

Sally Sansbury says she is a recovered aleoholie and drug addict who is very grateful for OHA's participation in the program. She eame to a recent meeting of the Health and Human Services Committee chaired by Thomas K. Kaulukukui and thanked the group for helping her. She entered the Hina Mauka program in January and was subsidized the first three months by the Dep>artment of Social Services and Housing. Near the end of the third month, she became concerned because she needed three more months of treatment and was informed DSSH was not going to pay for six months.

OHA entered into the picture and she was so elated. She eame to the meeting to relate her personal experiences and to personally thank OHA and the committee members. "Your help brought me back into the society 1 didn't know," Sa!ly said. She told Ka Wai Ola O OHA she needed that intense one on one counseling whieh went on 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. seven days a week. "We also participated in group counseling where everyone is involved," she explained.

Sally f>ays special tribute to counselor and therapists Harry and Mary Lake. "If it weren't for the program at Hina Mauka and Harry and Mary, I don't know where I would be today," Sally said. She explained that Hina Mauka is a residential facility with a housemother, an excellent staff and 24-hour security. "Ho'oponopono," she said, "is what we used at Hina Mauka

as a big part of my recovery. The only difference is that we called it cleaning house or the big circle. My counselors, Harry and Mary, are the ones who brought it up. They are Hawaiians and they know a lot of techniques in ho'oponopono."

Sally said she has been in and out of jails since the age of 13, mainly as the result of aleohol and drugs. Enough was enough and she sought help. Since her release last July, Sally said she still uses the ho'oponopono process taught to her and "I do a yearly or semi-annual house cleaning of myself." She said she is gradually getting her life back together again and one of the first things she wants to do is eheek her

geneology with the Mormon church. "I want to know my Hawaiian side because I know I have lots of relatives," she added. Sally said she still goes to Alcoholics Anonymous and she does volunteer work at Hina Mauka. "This is one good way to stay out of my old self. It is part of my recovery because I am not really a social person, yet," she said. She also explained she still seeks the advice of Harry and Mary and she has a sponsor in A-A. "I also have a psychologist who is a elinieal psychologist at Hina Mauka whom I see t wiee a month and I have a woman's group whieh I stick really close to. We really share and help eaeh other like in ho'oponopono," she continued.

"I have been sober for 16 months and my life has changed tremendously . 1 don't have the same crowd of people I used to hang around with. Most of them are dead or in prison," she reported. Sally said that when she first went back into the eommunity, she "was scared to death because I didn't want to do things the way 1 used to. I had to learn to do new things and it was a new experience for me. "I had a lot of people behind me, praying and encouraging me and going with me to all kinds of places. I am receiving DSSH assistance today and 1 am not able to work because I must make restitution to the State of Hawaii with community service hours.

"I have been going to school to get more education and hopefully next year I ean go to Kapiolani Community College to study oeeupahonal therapy or social work. I didn't know I had the talent to reach these goals. I'm giving it a try," Sally concluded. Currently, she is performing community service at the Rehabilitation Center of the Pacific. In a parting shot, Sally pleaded with OHA to eonhnue its support of the Hina Mauka program.

Sally Sansbury