Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 2, 1 February 2009 — Papa Ola Lōkahi [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Papa Ola Lōkahi

We our series on Advocacy for Native Hawaiian Health. In January, Miehelle Tueber, Executive Directorfor Hui Mālama O Nā 'Ōiwi, did an over\>iew of the Native Hawaiian Health System for Hawai'i Island. In this issue, Kim Birnie, Public Information Officer for Papa Ola Lōkahi (POL), and others do an over\>iew ofPOL. Papa Ola Lōkahi was created in 1988 to help improve heahh and well-being of Native Hawaiians. The comprehensive 1985 E Ola Mau report first described the status of Hawaiians, including heahh, whieh provided Congress the foundation to pass the Native Hawaiian Heahh Care Act in 1988, reauthorized as the Native Hawaiian Heahh Care Improvement Act (NHHCIA) in 1992. This legislation identifies three programs that address Native Hawaiian Heahh: Papa Ola Lōkahi, the Native Hawaiian Heahh Care Systems (NHHCS) and the Native Hawaiian Heahh Scholarship Program (NHHSP). Papa Ola Lōkahi (POL) serves the needs of the NHHCSs to better provide direct services to their communities. We do this in areas of workforce development, research and training, data eolleehon and information dissemination, planning and resource development, traditional healing, heahh promotion, advocacy, technical assistance. Other POL projects serve the heahh care needs of Hawaiians throughout the continental U.S ., as well as Native American, American Indian and Alaska Native and Native Pacific Islander populations in Hawai'i and the Western Pacific. POL currently administers 'hni Hale - Native Hawaiian Cancer Network and the Pacific Diabetes Education Program, research, education and capacity-building efforts addressing two chronic diseases deadly to Kānaka Maoli. Clay Park has joined POL to institute the Native Hawaiian Veterans Project, an education program for our warriors and their service providers. Maile Tauali'i has returned home to enhanee our Heahh Data Institute whh the establishment of the Native Hawaiian Epidemiology Center. The Native Hawaiian Heahh Care Systems comprise five community-based organizations that serve the coimnunity-defined heahh care needs on seven islands. Most offer heahh education and prevention programs, outreach and case management, and prnnary and mental heahh

care. To access heahh care services for you or your 'ohana, eall: • Ho'ola Lāhui Hawai'i (Kaua'i and Ni'ihau) - 808-240-0100 • Ke Ola Mamo (O'ahu) - 848-8000 • Nā Pu'uwai Ine. (Moloka'i and Lāna'i) - 808-560-3653 • Hui No Ke Ola Pono (Maui) - 808-244-4647 • Hui Mālama Ola Nā 'Ōiwi (Hawai'i) - 808-969-9220 The Native Hawaiian Heahh Scholarship Program (NHHSP) supports the education and training of students in several primary and mental heahh professions who then serve in medically underserved, rural coimnunities in Hawai'i. Whh an emphasis on service, the goal is to build a workforce that will make seeking heakh care services by Native Hawaiians both accessible and acceptable. To date, the NHHSP has funded 186 scholars in 26 disciplines. More infonnation on this program, and how to apply by April 19, 2009, ean be found at nhhsp.org. The NHHCIA also establishes the unique relationship the Office of Hawaiian Affairs has whh Papa Ola Lōkahi as a member of the board of directors, thus reinforcing the nnportance of heahh. OHA has met this charge in advisory and advocacy capacities, and by funding activities through Papa Ola Lōkahi or directly with the NHHCSs. Some of these include: • Facilitating kupuna councils of healers to organize and meet periodically. • Building the capacity of eaeh NHHCS to better serve the heakh needs of its conununity. • Promoting messages of healthy living, available services and programs on its radio and eommunity television shows. • Increasing heahh education and screenings at community heahh fairs, cultural events and Hawaiian gatherings throughout the Islands. • Developing curricula and programs to interest students in heahh care professions. • Planning for long-tenn care services forkūpuna. And the Hawaiian community offers many resources that further the voyage toward heahh and wellness. Among POL's many partners are 'Ahahui o nā Kauka, Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Queen's Medical Center, community heahh centers, Alu Like, churches, voluntary heahh organizations, medical school, state heahh department, all of whom actively seek to improve our heahh status. Mahalo to Trustee Lindsey for championing our wellness and all the OHA trustees who eontinue to support Native Hawaiian heahh inhiatives. Another child of Hawai'i Island, Palikapu Dedman, onee exclanned, "Every leader in the Hawaiian movement should be concerned with our health. No leader wants to lead a nation of sick kānaka! " To contact Papa Ola Lōkahi, eall 597-6550 or visit papaolalokahi.org. E ola mau! S

Rūbert K. Lindsey. Jr. TrustEE, Hewem