Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 7, 1 Iulai 1993 — Ola kino o nā Hawaiʻi [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ola kino o nā Hawaiʻi

Hawaiian healih horizons

OHA's health and human services division a leader in fight to improve well-being of Hawaiians

When OHA sponsors a diabetes conference or supports an agency assisting Hawaiians, a lot more goes into it than a eheek. OHA's health and human services division is responsible for coordinating, administering and monitoring contracts for HHS programs that OHA puts money into, a heavy work load for the two OHA staff and half-time secretary that comprise the division.

Staff must also advocate for and monitor agencies, organizations, and programs on behalf of the Hawaiian people. OHA's Health and Human Services division is run by two staff, officer Lorraine Godoy, who eame on board in August of 1992, and specialist Babette Galang, who has been with OHA since 1989. Both women have been active in human services work for a better part of their careers and want to see OHA take the initiative in advocating for needed services for native

Hawaiians. Says HHS officer Lorraine Godoy, "I would like to see the Health and Human Services Division take a leadership role in making sure the Hawaiian eommunity has full access to available services and have choices in private and puhlie programs that are found in their communities." OHA's health and human service committee, headed by trustee Moanike'ala Akaka, provides leadership and policymaking for the division. Because OHA does not provide direct services it must work closely with other agencies, both

state and private, to ensure that services are put in plaee. Explains Galang, "We get involved in the planning process and provide oversight to see that projects are carried out." The division is responsible for administering the funding of a variety of programs that OHA supports, including Alu Like, the Wai'anae Diet, Lunalilo Ilome, and Project Ho'olauna. Heaith division staff also assist in programs to help native Hawaiian prisoners, various demonstration projects, and in coordinating functions like the recent diabetes conference. All of these projects

have, as a primary eoneem, the well-being and promotion of the Hawaiian people and culture. OHA's funding of Alu Like supports administrative costs and helps provide the infrastructure for services such as Alu Like's job training and placement programs. The Wai'anae Diet is a program run by the Wai'anae Coast

Comprehensive Health Center that helps Hawaiians lose weight and improve their health by applying a diet that incorporates traditional Hawaiian food. The diet appears to be effective in preventive treatment for type II diabetes, cancer, and hypertension, illnesses widespread in the Hawaiian community. It has also been held up as a model for other island communities and even other indigenous peoples. OHA supports the project with a grant for operating costs. In fiscal year 1991/92 OHA bought a van and gave a $200,000 grant to Lunalilo Home

for operating costs. Lunalilo Home is an adult residential care home for Hawaiians. The grant was a one-year allocation but OHA staff still continues to provide assistance. The Ho'olauna Project is a cooperative program between OHA and the Department of Veterans Affairs whieh provides workshops for VA staff to edu-

cate them on the Hawaiian eulture and make them more sensitive to the needs of Hawaiian veterans in their outreach programs. "Hawaiians vets were not going to the VA elinie because the staff was insensitive," says Galang. "Because of this insensitivity the VA now has a task force that is looking into the needs of Hawaiian vets." The project is the offshoot of a similar, highly successful workshop done in 1989. Four workshops are planned for this year. In the future the heahh division is looking to concentrate on issues like diabetes and adoles-

cent mental heahh care. "This is a very exciting time for heahh and human services," says Godoy. "There are a number of heahh projects going on that are dealing specifically with native Hawaiian heahh problems. We'd like to seize the moment and work with public and private agencies assisting Hawaiians to improve their lives."

OHA HHS staff Lorraine Godoy - Officer 586-3730 Babette Galang - Specialist 586-3731

Health anel human services projects supported by OHA Alu Like - A multi-faceted operation that includes a variety of job training servies for native Hawaiians. Wai'anae Diet - A program based at the Wai'anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center that uses a diet of tradilional Hawaiian food to help Hawaiians lose weight. Lunaiilo Home - An adult residential care home for Hawaiians. Ho'olaunu Project — Workshop to educate VA staff to make Ihem more sensitive to the needs of Hawaiian veterans.

Heahh division staff Babette Galang and Lorraine Godoy