Holistic Mental Health Key to Maui’s Recovery

On an ongoing basis, Wailuku nonprofit Ka‘ehu invites families impacted by the August 2023 wildfires to partake in lei making, lauhala weaving, plant stamping, T-shirt printing and other cultural activities.  

The repetitive tasks ground attendees in their bodies as they reflect on their feelings and thoughts. Attendees can also participate in ho‘oponopono, lomilomi, grief counseling, and other services.  

These activities are part of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s culturally grounded and holistic approach to Maui’s mental health response. Embracing the principles of trauma-informed care, it recognizes that a variety of alternative therapies can help individuals impacted by a collective trauma reflect on and improve their mental health.  

For example, some impacted residents may feel more comfortable participating in kukakuka (talking story and reflecting together), lomilomi and other services before receiving therapeutic support. In other cases, individuals may prefer to participate in cultural activities instead of receiving traditional counseling or other mental health services.  

HCF’s Maui Strong Fund mental health strategy stems from Hawai‘i’s efforts to become a trauma-informed state. In February 2024, Gov. Josh Green declared Hawai‘i trauma-informed and directed the state Office of Wellness and Resilience (OWR) to implement a trauma-informed care framework throughout state departments and with community-based organizations. The framework integrates safety, trust and transparency, empowerment, collaboration, peer support, and honoring cultural, gender and historical issues.   

Kehau Meyer, senior program officer for HCF’s Maui Recovery Effort, says the Maui Strong Fund mental health response was intentionally inclusive of both clinical resources and community-centered wellness. 

“We listened to our organizations doing work on the ground and understood that Maui needed certain resources that were comforting and familiar while also building in a warm handoff to traditional mental health resources,” she says. “The mental health network that formed was helpful in ensuring HCF stayed on track with the collective efforts of experts and practitioners actively responding to the needs.”  

HCF’s mental health response are directly informed by OWR’s weekly meetings of mental health providers, clinicians and other partners that discuss mental health needs they’re seeing and hearing from Maui community members. That led HCF to fund flexible therapeutic interventions to help impacted individuals cope, group grieving and healing activities, and longer-term therapeutic services for individuals and families to prevent and address Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

Photo: Ka`ehu

HCF’s strategy has led to better coordination and more diverse therapeutic support options for fire-affected households. For example, the foundation has contracted nine clinicians and group practices to provide free therapy sessions to affected individuals—up to 10 sessions—and on-site mental health support at community meetings. It’s a short-term solution to reduce barriers to mental health care, such as lack of insurance or when individuals find it too difficult to get therapy sessions approved by their health insurance. “We really need to understand the needs of Maui and the needs of those serving those in Maui,” says Michele Navarro Ishiki, director of mental health services at Piha Wellness and Healing, and one of the contracted clinicians providing therapy funded by HCF’s Maui Strong Fund.  Michele has been providing trauma-informed individual and community care to those affected by the Maui fires. 

HCF has funded mental health activities for people ranging from infants and their caregivers through the elderly—and has ensured that funds go to culturally relevant mental health care using mediums that will reach different types of people needing care. One of HCF’s Maui Strong grantees, Maui Medics Healers Hui, began providing care at multiple community hubs right after the fire. Today, the Hui provides naturopathic, traditional Native Hawaiian, and eastern and western healing services at its post-fire wellness center at the Royal Lahaina Resort. Its team considers culture preferences at the forefront of treatment experiences.   

Mental Health America of Hawai‘i is expanding its Mental Health Resilience, Prevention, and Support Program. It has so far trained over 1,000 individuals in general self-care and resiliency, conducted 266 clinical mental health encounters for youth, and distributed crisis resources to thousands of attendees across the state. The organization uses a statewide approach to reach Lahaina residents who have relocated to other islands, as well as residents in other counties experiencing indirect trauma.  

Other Maui Strong Fund grantees have incorporated artmaking into healing. Makawao’s Hui No‘eau Visual Arts Center visits Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Centers’ Wailuku homeless shelter twice a week to provide art activities to displaced residents. Hana Arts operates an Art and Music Therapy program for students in Hana, where many families displaced by the fires have relocated to. Maui Community Theatre’s Maui OnStage program supports impacted youth’s well-being by giving them a safe space to explore their emotions.  

More requests for mental health support are expected as more individuals and families affected by the fire move into stable housing. Many partners and HCF grantees in mental health and wellness are preparing to meet the needs of people that will seek services in the upcoming months. 

Learn more about Hawai`i Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund here.