 Welcome. I'm Chris Aguinaldo. I'm the host of Aloha United We Stand, brought to you by the Aloha United Way and Think Tech Hawaii, raising public awareness for issues here in Hawaii. And don't forget you can join the conversation on Twitter at Think Tech HI. I'm also there at Chris Aguinaldo, and we'll also take a look at your tweets while we have the program. Today we're welcoming Hinamaoka, which is an organization that provides treatment for addiction recovery here in Hawaii. We'll have a couple of people from the organization in this first part of the program, and we'll talk to a couple of clients in the later part of the program. Right now I'd like to introduce Alan Johnson, the CEO of Hinamaoka and Erica Vargas. Welcome to our program. Thanks for being here. Thank you for having us. Now Alan, you folks have been in Hawaii, I understand, about four decades now. Could you give our audience who are not familiar with the organization what you folks do and what has how you've expanded in the last four decades? Yes, so you know initially we started as a volunteer program in the Hawaii State Hospital because in 1969 it was illegal to be an alcoholic, and so they put you in jail. And so in 1969 Hawaii was the first state that said it's a medical disease, but they couldn't just release you from prison because you'd been convicted, so they put you in the Hawaii State Hospital, and we started as a volunteer program until there was no more room, and then we separated and started our own services. So that's how Hinamaoka got started. And today we still have a problem with a lot of addicts in jail. But we have residential services, we have a 48 bed, we're building 16 new beds, we have we have two outpatient programs. We also are in the high school, public high schools and public middle school full-on treatments. So this is outreach, this is not just only adults we're talking about, but prevention programs for an outreach. The public high school and middle schools are actually treatment programs in those schools. We have a classroom, but we also do prevention as well separately from that. So and we do a community-based adolescent program. So we're quite large with the 20-some sites, so we're spread out. So these sites, where are they throughout the island? Most of them are here on Oahu. We do have our team on the manager of the adults program. We have a manager for our teen care as well, and teen care is spread out throughout the island of Oahu as well as on Kauai. So they're in a couple, they're school-based in Kauai. Oh and we have 50 beds in the women's prison? Yes, and we have 50 beds. Erica, can you talk about that women's prison outreach, please? Sure, we have what's called a therapeutic community over at the women's prison, women's correctional. We have the capacity to service 50 of the women they're taking, you know, they apply from general population to get into our program. And it's about nine to 12 months of treatment while they're incarcerated. What's part of that? What do they go through during those nine months? Is it really counseling or what sort of things are being done with your clients? They're receiving one-on-one counseling, they're receiving a lot of group psycho education on substance abuse, also to address their criminal thinking. So everything is based out of curriculum, evidence-based practices. They also get, you know, trauma work as well as, so trauma treatment, as well as just general emotion management. The great thing about that is these 50 beds are separate from the regular population. And so we develop a very trustful supportive relationship. We build this whole new culture for this 18 months. It's really, it's a bit got national claim for what could be done in prisons and how it can be transformative. Now, Alan, I'd like to talk to you and thank you for mentioning that and giving history about how alcoholism was first viewed in the in the beginning when you folks started. What is this perception that it sounds like that you're trying to change that in the beginning prison really isn't the answer or within, you know, back then and now treating those who are like the women that you're walking through and having them addressed, you know, their issues of addiction. Why is it important to treat the person and not have that, okay, that stigmatism of a crime or prison. It's just treating the person and not not saying, hey, we go send you to jail. That's not treatment. Well, how important is it? Well, it's extremely important because we in the last few years, we've done great science to know it as a brain disease. We now even have medication that help assist treatment to help deal with the cravings of that. As we begin to understand addiction versus abuse, we begin to see it is a brain disease and you don't have control of your brain. And it's kind of like this is that we have, if you're diabetic, yeah, you shouldn't be taking sugar or white flour or white rice here and, you know, we need to exercise. But once you have diabetes, now we give you doctor and medical care. We work, we give you medications for your diabetes. And that's not really happened in our field very well, that we don't consider it that now that you reach addiction, it's a brain disease and it's a medical, you need medical treatment. And that would be a great response to doing that. And so what we're finding for the federal government just past three months ago, huge legislation that says we're not going to use treatment instead of criminal justice in the federal, you know, penitentiaries. And they're saying that, look, if you're doing some criminal activity because of your drug addiction, we took away your drug addiction, you're no longer a criminal. Versus, are you a criminal with a drug addiction? Those are two different distinctions. So if it's the latter, then I think we could do a lot to not be so overcrowded. Specifically in Hawaii, what are the levels that you see? I understand that we have a very high crystal methamphetamine use. What kind of level of use do you see this abuse addiction in our population just here in Hawaii? I have to assume the numbers. So sorry. It's the worry. We'll get to you with this. We're gonna talk about how we treat and help those folks. That would be all yours. So of course, if you're talking about the people and how much abuse it is, it's alcohol is huge. But if you're talking about how many people have an addiction and now need treatment, it's you know, the adults is 50% of that is methamphetamine for the kids in the schools, probably 50 to 55% of its marijuana where they're having major problems with marijuana as kids. But for adults, definitely methamphetamines an issue. So once, you know, those get introduced into people's lives, parents, teens, whomever, whether it is alcohol, whether it is crystal meth marijuana. What is the process of reaching out and getting getting help? How does someone who says, you know, I've had it. I don't want this anymore. How do they hook up with you? And how do you walk them through and get them into your care? We have great relationships with our community partners. You know, public safety is always referring to us. We have a lot of the case management, the agencies refer to us. And we have an open clinic. So you just walk right through all they have to do. Well, it's right. We have one based in Kaneohe and in Waipahu. So it's right at our treatment centers, they you just got to walk in the door and say, I need help. And someone hands you a packet. And that's how it all starts. It's pretty simple to get started. And then we'll walk them through the rest of the process. Now, what kind of people are there? You would they walk in? Who will they meet? Will they meet people like medical professionals, counselors, folks like that? Or will you help connect them? Well, we have our front desk, who is amazing at the job that she does very welcoming, really embodies the aloha spirit. She is just a regular person that works for us. So, you know, she's coming in, she knows, understand, she's, you know, been doing this for a long time, and she can definitely help anybody through the getting started process. Well, but you know, she just, just getting you connected. Yeah. So now you have a counselor that has a master level degrees, has licensures, has a state certified substance abuse counselor. So this is not just one, one little space. It's not one little office. Once your friendly staff welcomes a person, they have access to all of this. Yeah, they've access to that. And then today, you know, coming into treatment is way different than it was. I mean, I've been doing this for 20 years. So years ago, you were an alcoholic. And then we just said, Okay, it looks like you need treatment come in. But today, we need medical reports. People come in, they have diabetes, they have depression, they have PTSD, they have COPD, they have heart disease, kidney disease. So we're one of the few facilities that's treating all of that. So now if you've got comorbidity issues, you're going to see a nurse, you've got psychiatric issues, you're going to see our psychiatrist. So that can be, it can be a process simple that, you know, you only have an addiction. That's pretty rare. Or it can be a very complicated process. And we're going to need some time to, and some medical evaluations to get you in the car. But the first step is you can walk into your, your offices and just say, I need help. Yes, that's it. How do we contact? What's the website on that? Any, any address you want to give out? You can download our application at Hinamalka.org. So this is an app on the phone? Well, no. So on our website, we have Yeah, the application is actually posted on the website. Anybody can download it. You can download it yourself if you're working with a case manager, they can help you fill it out. And you can email it, fax it in, you can walk it in. But we're, you know, using all sorts of avenues to just get people in the door. How was that? A lot of people who have come to us through their family members. I mean, it really is. Or your physician who's saying, okay, look, I think you need some more care. And they're referring you to our hospitals are a big one. They're saying, you know, this has been your couple times. You know, you have major issues, you're using the emergency room a lot. Looks like you have medical issues, but you've got this drug problem first. And you need attention for that. So we're way better at being connected to all those folks nowadays. That sounds like that you have a lot of community partners, folks in the community that you are working with. I understand, you know, just talking about folks in the community who are supporting you. You have a fundraiser coming up. This is on October 22nd, your fourth annual Lula. Can you let us know, our viewers know more about that? Yes, it's at Coalina. We have a great bank of Hena and we have Tony Ocas for food. It's a lot of people who come out and support us. We have a lot of fun. It's October 22nd. And it's a major fundraiser. A lot of people come to us. They don't have money for medication. Some of the people come are homeless. They don't have anything. And this helps pay for all that. So the proceeds benefit the funding for all these different things that we've talked about. Go directly to our patients or sometimes we call them clients, but it's really patients and what their needs are and how they need so much. And you mentioned some of them cannot afford some of these services. Yeah, so, you know, government helps pay for if you're uninsured, but with healthcare reform a lot of people have Medicaid or quest insurance, but they don't have any, they don't have for just basic amenities. You know, and some people have got their family support. Some don't and so they need more. So really, from what you're saying and what I've read is that the substance abuse, these addiction issues go across, all across the entire socioeconomic spectrum. They do, although we are seeing an up kick in, you know, OxyContin, you know, all the opioids, the painkillers are coming and now we're starting to see elderly people using methamphetamine, which what we believe is happening is that there's a certain, a part of our population that has a sensitivity to addiction and you may be elderly and you never really abused drugs, so you never had a problem, but now you have problems with pain and now you're taking too much medication. You get an addiction and so now we're starting and then you can't get enough painkillers, so you move into methamphetamine, your grandson gets you hooked up with methamphetamine and then you show up at Hinamoka. So now we're treating grandma and grandpa. So after the break, we're going to take a break so we can hear more about our other programs and hosts here at Think Tech Hawaii, but after the break we're going to talk to a couple of folks who've gone through your programs, correct? Yes. So please join us. Again, this is a short break. Thank you, you too, and thank you for watching Think Tech Hawaii. Aloha, my name is Josh Green. I serve a senator from the Big Island on the Kona side and I'm also an emergency room physician. My program here on Think Tech is called Health Care in Hawaii. I'll have guests that should be interesting to you twice a month. We'll talk about issues that range from mental health care to drug addiction to our health care system and any challenges that we face here in Hawaii. We hope you'll join us. Again, thanks for supporting Think Tech. Hi, I'm Donna Blanchard. I'm the host of Center Stage, which is on Wednesdays at 2 o'clock here on Think Tech. On Center Stage I talk with artists about not only what they do and how they do it, but the meat of the conversation for me is why they do it, why we go through this. A lot of us are not making our livings doing this and a lot of us would do this with our last dying breath if we had to that choice. And that's what I love to talk to people about. I hope you enjoy watching it and I hope you get inspired because there's an artist inside you too. Join us on Center Stage at 2 o'clock on Wednesdays. Bye. Aloha. My name is Mark Shklav. I am the host of Law Across the Sea. Please join me every other Monday to hear lawyers from Hawaii discussing ways to reach across the sea and help people and bring people together. Aloha. Hello. My name is Crystal. Let me tell you my talk show. I'm all about health. It's healthy to talk about sex. It's healthy to talk about things that people don't talk about. It's healthy to discuss things that you think are unhealthy because you need to talk about it. So I welcome you to watch Quok Talk and engage in some provocative discussions on things that do relate to healthy issues and have a well-balanced attitude in life. Join me. Welcome back. I'm your host Chris Aguinaldo and this is Aloha United We Stand. Before the break we were talking with Hina Malka and their substance and recovery programs offered through the organization. We're joined now by a couple of friends of the organization. We have Alfred Hulpe and Michelle Navarro. Welcome to the program. Thank you for having me. Now, you too have been involved with the organization. I'd like to know what your involvement is. Alfred, let's start with you. I have been a client there. I was a patient back in 2002. I went to the program with Hina Malka. Now I'm an employer there. So I work there. It's time for me to get back here because I know it's very challenging out there and I wanted that change. So great treatment because I've identified that I had a problem. Now Erika in our last portion said people just need to come to the organization. They need to reach out. What was your story of reaching out and how did you know? How did it affect you? How did you know that you needed to put your hand on and say I need some help? I knew because it took me like after I lost my mom. So I became very rebellious over my dad and you know I started losing a lot of stuff and you know one thing led to another. I got incarcerated and I needed to find myself. So when I was staying at the shelter and I just reached out to this one woman named and she told me she said you know she did an assessment on me and then that's when my journey started and two days later I came and I became one of the patients there at Hina Malka and I went to the program. I did everything that was suggested to me to do and I did everything possible because I wanted to get my family back. What was that process? So what did when you say what did they have? You did everything that they asked you to do. What were the things that you needed to do? First I did an assessment. Once the assessment was done I went there to Hina Malka. They did another assessment with me and you know to identify what was really going on with me and you know my problem was I had a drug problem and that was taken without a loan. It was taking my family away from me. So being that I could identify that problem I went to the program with Hina Malka and eventually I graduated with them and with the VA so they called it what I killed two birds with one stone. And that's amazing you know and it taught me a lot and it gave me the person I needed to be and gave the brother that my siblings wanted to have back. So it was a it was a journey for me but you know what my journey doesn't stop there it continues because now I say I'm employed there and I'm it's giving back to the ones that's coming into the doors and you know let them know that there's a better way of life. How was it to have a group that could help you in that way? Amazing it's really amazing especially my counselor you know she she's taught me a lot what I needed to do and what I needed to to build on my my self-esteem because my self-esteem alone was really low here at that time and she bought me to to a breaking point to to know what was really going on with Alfred yeah. Alfred it sounds like you were able to hook up with a good good amount of people who are able to see you as a person and walk you through this process. Yes I have and then when I left treatment I ran a clean and sober house and I've been in contact with probation and all these other clean and sober houses and they restarted telling me that I had a good house so they wanted to bring people there and you know if I could help the world I'd bring everyone there at one time I would but you know it's very limited with people yeah that's coming there so I just keep in touch with them once once that open it happens then I bring them in. Michelle is your experience similar of meeting nice people helpful people at the at the organization? Oh yes I've served at various capacities I was once an employee of Hinamaka and you were an employee there. Over ten years ago it's a wonderful organization it's like the Ohana style of getting better that wrap around in care and service you know once you open yourself up to the idea that you know for me it was knowing that I was the problem and the alcohol and the drugs were just symptoms to the problem. How were you organized? How were you introduced to Hinamaka? I live on the island of Maui and having worked at other organizations I was asked by their clinical director at the time on Maui to work with them you know there's there's a special thing about counselors who come into the field who have been a part of the program and there are people who haven't had the issues that we do as recovering alcoholics and addicts who do just wonderful work but I was asked to go and work with the organization at the time they had an outpatient program on the island of Maui and I did I like Alfred I feel like part of the process of getting clean and sober is is being able to give that back because we're told in the program that in order to keep what you have you have to give it away and so it's just another alcoholic and addict helping another you know it's that reciprocity of of sobriety that that we can live. You feel that you have an understanding you've been there and you want to share that with someone who might be going through something that you remember going through. There's that understanding yes but for me through my education and there's there's a piece of me now that I don't readily share where I've been we walk the same walk we talk the same language but getting clean and sober is not about me anymore it's about the consumer about the client and once like I said you know we we speak the same language so I don't say that hey I'm in recovery too because a person's ability to get clean and sober solely depends and relies upon their ability to do that for themselves. So as much help as you too as much as Hinamaoka can give it still comes to the person inside wanting to go beyond this addiction they want to recover. Hinamaoka is is a tool it's a place a safe space in place for someone to do that at it has to come from the individual otherwise success will be limited you know but it's not to say that if you don't succeed at treatment the first or second or third time that you're not successful you just slowly chip at it you know slowly chip at the ability to remain clean and sober that's key anybody can get clean and sober it's staying clean and sober but what are the challenges either one of you I like what you said Michelle and that we have to address that long term what you said that you can get clean at any any time but it's that continuing to be clean continuing to be part of your Ohana your community without going and back into whatever made you an addict in the first place what contributes to that how can Ohana how can the neighbors how can just all these groups uh friends I see how how does that all contribute to staying clean well like for me um like I said I do what's suggested by the program and I use it to the best of my ability I'm not perfect but you know what if I can maintain it and I can keep myself abstinence for from what I used to do before then I'm good and the only way I know how is that um I do my 12-step program and I do it with a sponsor I have a sponsor um you know I kind of hit meetings a lot of meetings you know what I mean and I do my 12-step program um I use my support net and I use that on a regular basis yeah so to keep myself from from falling back or falling short I don't want to get into the place where I start thinking about a lot of things that have happened before because when you get complacent you know it really it tears you up so when you have when you use that support net or use your sponsor yeah you call these people and you know tell them what's going on with you you know for me I feel a lot better and I can keep myself in that moment you know what I mean and I know where I where I started and I don't want to go back there again about you my show um they say early in recovery you change everything yeah people places everything playgrounds friends it's being around positive people being around people that support how I live today um telling people I don't drink I don't use drugs you know just outing yourself so that the people that you're surrounded with will support the lifestyle that we choose today and and when you feel the urge because it doesn't matter how long you've been clean and sober you still have urges but it's knowing what to do who you can call on when those urges happen earlier in the program Alan was talking about you know in different populations there's a in you know different increases in whatever substances being abused have you too with the people that you work with now the folks who you're helping right now what's their challenge today what is the most challenging thing for them right now is it you know staying staying clean or is this availability of substances that are around not having enough resources or what do you see as the big challenge for someone that you may meet today says I need your help how is it different from your experiences that's hard to measure everybody every challenge is different for every individual and it's hard to say what it could be for the most part in terms of percentage and and and what population of people can't stay clean um we've seen I've seen a lot of success I've I've seen people go in and out go in and out of using but you know every time they come back they come back with something new something new that's that's good and something new that's bad but it's hard to measure what the reason is why people can't stay clean and sober but there's still people out there who will help them oh absolutely there's many resources on a while there's a lot of resources I live on the island of Maui and we lack a lot of resources but there's many times when I do assessments and I do refer people to Oahu to get treatment because the lack of treatment the access to treatment on our island of Maui so you know there's resources but there will always be limited resources in in this in this this type of issue that that our community faces they'll we'll always lack good Alfred Michelle thank you very much for sharing your stories and thank you so much for you know continuing to work I see that the both of you want to keep contributing and helping people thank you so much for stopping by and for those of you who want to know more about Inamaka they are online at Inamaka.org you can check them out there and there's an upcoming fundraiser too and thank you very much for tuning in to Aloha United We Stand thank you