Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 8, Number 9, 1 Kepakemapa 1991 — Ke Ola Mamo opens administrative office [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ke Ola Mamo opens administrative office

By Christina Zarobe Assistant Editor After nearly two years of late nights and countless hours of planning, members of Ke Ola Mamo set aside their work for a day in July to celebrate the opening of the health group's new office. "I don't stand here alone. We have a number of individuals who have worked very hard to get where we are now," said Ke Ola Mamo President Claire Hughes. Ke Ola Mamo is one of five island-wide planning groups created to identify Native Hawaiian health problems that specifically exist in their areas — Kaua'i/Ni'ihau, O'ahu, Moloka'i/Lana'i, Maui and Hawai'i. (Ed. note: see related stoiy page 15) These groups were created through Papa Ola Lokahi, a five-member organization consisting of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), the state Department of Health, the University of Hawai'i, Alu Like, ine., and E Ola Mau. Papa Ola Lokahi is serving as an umbrella organization for the island planning groups who have recently completed and submitted to the federal government proposals for funding. The size of the grants will be announced in October. The federal grants are available under the Native Hawaiian Health Care Act, whieh was passed into law Oct. 31, 1988. The act calls for improving the health status of Native Hawaiians.

With a traditional Hawaiian office blessing by OH A T rustee Kamaki Kanahele, board members, volunteers and well-wishers joined the festive gathering to officially open the Ke Ola Mamo office at Nu'uanu Ave., Suite 200.

'This is a commitment we make after our work hours," said Hughes, noting that those involved would begin working on plans for Ke Ola Mamo at 5 p.m. and eonhnue until 10 p.m. and often past midnight. "This is something we take very seriously. Ke Ola Mamo members love challenges. We have become stronger and stronger," Hughes told the

audience enjoying food prepared according to the Wai'anae Diet Program. The Nu'uanu Avenue office, however, is not serving as a health elinie, stressed Talmadge Heyward, project administrator of Ke Ola Mamo. If Hawaiians have questions, someone at the office will refer the caller to the proper agency or try to provide other information, he explained. Currently, outreach workers and other staff are being hired to work at the office, Heyward said. Planning is also taking plaee for a series of informational meetings that members of Ke Ola Mamo will hold throughout the community. Heyward said the goal of the group is to "improve the health status of Native Hawaiians on the island of O'ahu through the development of a system of culturally competent services that utilizes rather than duplicates existing health care services." Eventually, four community centers will be

opened on O'ahu — Waimanalo, Wai'anae, Ko'olauloa, and the present Nu'uanu Avenue site — eaeh with specific health care assignments. Waimanalo will be handling nutrition for various groups such as pre-natal care, and geriatrics. The Wai'anae center will be working with improving the health care of at-risk groups, such as young people and substance abuse mothers. The Ko'olauloa center mission will be to improve primary health care for Native Hawaiians who are eligible for state health insurance programs but are not using them. One of the goals of the urban site is to plan a major educational conference for staff workers and health care professionals to inform them about Native Hawaiian health issues, Heyward said. Amid the hugs, tears, and congratulations as one by one members of the audience stepped to the microphone, Mabel Ann Spencer, one of the

directors ot Ke Ula Mamo, shared her teelings with the gathering. "We have started on a process that will be i trying. But it is something that needs to be | addressed. Because of this great eoneem we have, 1 we decided to take on the task." I ^m — — . mm an mm ^m ^m mm

Claire Hughes

Celebrating Ke Ola Mamo office opening are (left to right) T almadge Kealoha Heyward, Pauline Meheula, Healani Chang, Mitchell Eli and Dr. Larry Miike.