Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 12, 1 Kekemapa 1992 — Hoʻōla Lahui Hawaiʻi: health center for Hawaiians [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hoʻōla Lahui Hawaiʻi: health center for Hawaiians

by Deborah Ward 'To preserve and perpemate Ihe native race" is the goal of the Kaua'i Native Hawaiian Health Care system, Ho'ōla Lāhui Hawai'i, whieh serves the native Hawaiian population of Kaua'i, from Mānā to Lihu'e to Anahola, through its two offices in Waimea and outside Kapa'a. It is one of five island health systems receiving federal funding to provide quality heahh care access for native Hawaiians.

Ho'ōla Lāhui's focus is twofold — to do outreach and preventive heahh education. In the wake of Hurricane 'Iniki, the center's staff have been particularly busy with screening and referring cases, working with the Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center. Twice a week two social workers visit families on either side of the island to make sure they are getting needed medical care and followup. The center is also assisting relief efforts with food distribution and medical supplies. Colleen Lehua Henion has been executive director of Ho'ōla Lāhui Hawai'i since July. Formerly with the Hawai'i Blood Bank, Alu Like, Kamehameha Schools, and University of Southem Califomia, she is responsible for developing the center's policy, personnel, programs, fiscal management and evaluation. She is assisted by Emmaline Ihu, R.N., Pililani Iwai, outreach worker, Cheryl Keliipio, R.N., and Mohala Aiu, island coordinator. Although Henion says Ho'ōla Lāhui Hawai'i is not a regular medical elinie, "Here on Kaua'i, you have a

plaee to eome and ask questions. We are able to link Hawaiians with heallh care providers, not to replace them." Center nurses help Hawaiians leam how to talk to doctors and get their questions answered. Some of the questions Ho'ōla Lāhui staff ean help answer include: • How ean I pay for seeing the doctor? Ho'ōla Lāhui ean help Hawaiians obtain heahh insurance coverage in most cases. They also work with the Department of

IHuman Services and other agencies whieh ean provide needed services to Hawaiians. It is important to get people to the doctor first, says Henion. If people think they may have hnaneial difficulty in paying for services, they don't go. • Do I have to get a eheekup every year? Henion says, yes, annual exams are recommended because regular checkups ean keep small problems from becoming big ones, and make preventive health services more effective. Long-term goals of the center include getting Hawaiians registered so Ho'ōla Lāhui knows who they are, conducting

surveys to determine their needs. Henion adds, "Because Ho'ōla Lāhui is communitybased, people have established a relationship of trust." Ho'ōla Lāhui Hawa'i began in 1985 through the eoneem of Kaua'i native Hawaiians and heahh practitioners Dr. Hiram Young, Dr. Lambert LeeLoy, Emmaline Ihu, Ilei Beniamina, Aletha Kaohu and Dr. Herb Yim. They saw the high mortality rate among Hawaiians and wanted to know what they could do to reverse it. Passage of the Native Hawaiian Heahh Act gave them hope. In 1988 they commissioned a survey of heahh needs in the community. The survey showed the community wanted heahh education, especially for weight control and nutrition. They applied for federal funding under the act and began informal referrals even before receiving the first grant in Dec. 1991. In January 1992 they opened an office in Waimea and one in Anahola in March. (It has since moved to Kapa'a.) They conducted the native Hawaiian diet in Waimea early that year with

Department of Heahh, followed it with another in Kapa'a. and plan to repeat it in Waimea. Henion hopes Lhe diet will be a good way to help the Hawaiian eommunity leam about nutrition, especially young ehildren. Family education. prenatal care, and cooperation with DOE Hawaiian studies programs is also sought. Ho'ōla Lāhui nurses helped during two keiki health fairs and a recent diabetes elinie. Today, Ho'ōla Lāhui Hawai'i board of directors are: Dr. Wayne Fukino (president), Dr. Hiram Young, Ilei Beniamina, Aletha Kaohi, Dr. Patrick Aiu, Dr. Lauren Bundschuh and La France Kapaka-Arboleda. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Heallh and Human Services under the Native Hawaiian Heahh Act PL 100-579, and via Papa Ola Lōkahi for planning.

Walmea office: 4594 Ola Rd. (across from Waimea High School). Tel. 338-0031. Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. East side office: 971-G Kūhiō Hwy. Waipouli complex (next to Aloha Diner) before Kapa'a. Tel. 823-6060. Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Ho'ola Lāhui Hawai'i staff are, from left: Pililani Iwai, Colleen Henion, Emmaline Ihu, Cheryl Keliipio and Mohala Aiu.