Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 22, Number 5, 1 Mei 2005 — Breaking the generational cycle of dysfimctional behavior [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Breaking the generational cycle of dysfimctional behavior

Behavioral problems that have existed in dysfunctional families for generations pose the question: "Why does the problem keep perpetuating itself?" Some of the major causes are verbal, emotional, physical and sexual abuse; drug addiction; alcoholism; poverty; crime; single parents or parent with multiple partners; violence; mental illness; unemployment; dependency on welfare and illiteracy. Dysfunctional behavior is passed down from generation to generation. Statistics from a recent study conducted at prisons revealed that families of criminals breed future criminals who contribute to crime, homelessness, welfare, violence and are a burden on society - whereas a family of healthy and responsible citizens contribute to the well-being of our community. Children imitate everything parents say and do. They are mirrors

and tape recorders of our behavior - they record every word they hear, and this is the core of their vocabulary and behavior. Change begins with you. We cannot change the past, but we ean change the future. Stop the old habits and do more things together as a family. Children need parental supervision at home, family involvement in school and church, and a nurturing, loving and happy family environment. OHA has granted major funding to help our keiki. In 2005 alone, OHA has contributed to the betterment of our families by contributing $46,875 to support the Institute for Criminal Rehabilitation's Nurturing Fathers Program, whieh assists fathers in establishing relationships with their families; $100,000 to support the Wai'anae Community Outreach for the Wai'anae Homeless Transitional Residential Center project; $99,925 to the Turning Point for Families ine.

Ke Ala Lōkahi domestic violence prevention program; $86,737 to YMCA Communities in Schools of Hawai'i Project to provide 'Ohana Management System training; $ 1 05 , 5 60 to support the establishment of a Neighborhood 'Ohana Center in Wailuku; $42,102 to support Aloha House ine. to provide culturallyfocused substance abuse treatment and prevention; $90,000 to support Alu Like, ine. for the Hui Kū 'Ōpio o ke Ko'olau project to work with the Hawai'i Youth Correctional Facility; $36,126 to support Kahuku Hospital for the Hawai'i Covering Kids Kahuku Loeal Project to reduce the number of uninsured youths; $50,000 to support the Keaukaha Community Action Group for the construction of the Kawānanakoa Hall Playground; $50,000 to support the American Lung Association for the Open Airway for Schools program providing early childhood

asthma education; $40,000 to support Ho'omau Ke 01a's substance abuse treatment program; $50,000 to support the Life Foundation's Hawaiian HIV Program; $75,226 to support Nānākuli High and Intermediate School's Literacy Improvement Project; $44,508 to support Olomana School's afterschool technology-based enrichment and pre-vocational training program; $44,045 to support the Kohala Intergenerational Center and Tūtū & Me programs; and $25,000 to the Ke Au Ho'ohuli Program for substance abuse and treatment. In all, that's $986,104. We must be good role models for our children and heeome the people we want our children to be to set the groundwork to build a beloved nation for generations to eome. Nā mākua mālama. G

Donald Cataluna Trustee, Kaua'i and Ni'ihau