The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has given a $104,500 grant to the University of Hawai'i-Manoa's School of Social Work to support the Native Hawaiian Master of Social Work Program, which prepares graduates to more effectively address social problems that afflict Native Hawaiians, according to a UH news release

The grant provides stipends to students of Native Hawaiian ancestry who are placed at internship sites supported by OHA grants. The School's goal is to educate students in indigenous practices to better equip them to provide social services in agencies where a large percentage of clients are Native Hawaiians, the release said.

During this three-year grant, the School of Social Work will also develop a theory of social work based on Hawaiian and other indigenous cultural experiences and practices. The School will also work to verify, validate, and promote existing practices and theories of change that are effective in working with Native Hawaiians.