OHA's contribution will help open services to 100 more Native Hawaiians and their families along the Wai'anae Coast, health center officials said.

They said many Native Hawaiians who have followed a path of substance abuse are without adequate cultural anchors upon which they can bring about adequate individual or family recovery.

Through the support of contributions like that of OHA, Hale Na`au Pono's Ho`okaulike program can now provide outpatient substance abuse services to Native Hawaiian men and women 18 years and older without resources to cover the cost of such services.

Ho'okaulike's program is built around weekly group meetings, individual counseling and guidance services. It incorporates Hawaiian cultural practices on the land through its site at Piliuka in Wai`anae Valley. It has many hands-on projects that demonstrate knowledge gained about participants Hawaiian heritage.

These include lomilomi, la'au lapa'au, farming, fishing, hula, tapa making, olelo Hawai`i, makahiki observances, hiking, and fishing implement making.