Editor’s note: This is the third of four stories on the Kaua‘i County Drug Summit 2005, held recently at the Kauai Beach Resorts (formerly the Radisson Kauai Beach Resort near Hanama‘ulu). Today’s installment is on drug-treatment ideas. Tomorrow’s final installment
Editor’s note: This is the third of four stories on the Kaua‘i County Drug Summit 2005, held recently at the Kauai Beach Resorts (formerly the Radisson Kauai Beach Resort near Hanama‘ulu). Today’s installment is on drug-treatment ideas. Tomorrow’s final installment will be on enforcement, and community- integration plans .
A multi-pronged treatment program is planned, in the process of being implemented, and necessary, to fully fight the war on drugs, experts said during the Kaua‘i County Drug Summit 2005.
It was held recently at the Kauai Beach Resorts, formerly the Radisson Kauai Beach Resort, off Kuhio Highway near Hanama‘ulu.
Mardi Maione, a drug-treatment specialist with Maluhia Addiction Services, talked about the five goals set by drug-treatment committee members, at the summit.
The first is to coordinate communications and services with leaders of planned on-island treatment facilities, and promote additional facilities, she said.
Headway was made on this by committee members’ support of leaders of the Calvary Chapel’s efforts to secure zoning and permits in Kapa‘a for their center for men with substance-abuse problems, as well as its U-Turn for Children program .
Other projects that the drug-treatment committee members have advocated include the establishment of adoles-centresidential treatment and therapeutic-living facilities, the expansion of treatment services offered by Ho‘ola Lahui Hawai‘i, and the establishment of Teen Care Centers at all middle and high schools on Kaua‘i by officials with Hina Mauka .
The second goal set by the drug-treatment committee members is to provide financial assistance to individuals to cover incidental costs for off-island residential treatment.
This was achieved by supporting efforts to obtain federal funding for a program that would provide this service .
Hina Mauka leaders got the contract in September.
Goal three is to establish a substance-abuse help line manned by experts, to provide referrals and information to individuals and members of families in need, said Mary Daubert, county public information officer .
A lot of progress has been made on this project, she said, as committee members are now awaiting word on a grant application for a phone and phone services .
Another objective of the drug-treatment committee members is to educate the community on the causes and treatment of substance addiction, and to change the way members of the community view drug addicts, Daubert said .
Much has been done to accomplish this objective, such as the holding of workshops for members of the faith-based community. Several sessions of the state Department of Education Teachers Academy were held, to familiarize teachers and staff with signs and symptoms of drug use, and presentations were made to representatives of local businesses, sports and youth groups, parents of Head Start youngsters, and some of the state Department of Human Services staff members .
The final goal set by the drug-treatment committee members is to provide professional training opportunities for substance-abuse counselors, mental-health professionals and social workers .
Maione reported that the first training session was held in June, and committee members are hoping to provide additional sessions on a quarterly basis .
