Aloha House and Hui Malama - Keeping Maui Clean and Sober for 30 Years

November 15, 2009
Substance abuse agencies get grant
The Hawai'i Community Foundation awarded $27,131 in grants to the nonprofit agencies Aloha House, Maui Youth & Family Services and Malama Family Recovery Center.

The foundation received the grant dollars from the Gwenfread Elaine Allen Fund in order to merge the technology systems of the three local nonprofits.
The plan is to reduce administrative costs and increase efficiency by establishing a common server and intranet-based access for the group.
The agencies have been partnered since last year in order to streamline services and reduce costs.

Jud Cunningham, chief executive of all three agencies, said that the merger has been a success so far.

The foundation's grant will allow Aloha House, Maui Youth & Family Services and Malama Family Recovery Center to share files and communicate easier, according to a news release.

Mergers such as this one, in this tough financial environment, can help position nonprofits to not only survive but continue to provide vital services to the community, said the foundation's vice president of programs, Christian Bergeijk.
The nearly century-old Hawai'i Community Foundation is encouraging other nonprofits that have similar programs and goals to merge as a way to combat this poor economy.

October 21, 2009
Wailea Association awards Grant
MAKAWAO -The Wailea Community Association recently awarded grants of $1,000 each to Aloha House, Maui Youth & Family Services (MYFS) and Malama Family Recovery Center.

The Aloha House grant was used for the purchase of medical equipment, which will assist the agency with the cost of detoxification medications for its clients.
Malama Family Recovery Center grant will help provide personnel to care for the children of women in treatment during treatment sessions.
MYFS used the $1,000 to help pay for the cost of urine drug screening and sober incentives.

"We are grateful to the Wailea Community Association for pitching in to provide these valuable funds, which will reach throughout our community, touching people in transition," said Jud Cunningham, chief executive officer for the three agencies.

September 30, 2009
Malama's expansion projects gets underway
KAHULUI - Construction has begun on a new structure that will expand Malama Family Recovery Center's unique substance abuse treatment programs for women only.

A groundbreaking and blessing were held earlier this month for the 3,400-square-foot facility on Ano Street near Maui Community College. When completed, the building will add four beds for mothers battling substance abuse and their children, and will provide a space for staff and treatment programs.

"This is a very exciting time for us," said Lisa Ponichtera, clinical director for Malama Family Recovery Center. "We have been working toward this new facility for the past seven years and are really happy to see it come to fruition.

"Our work is about reaching new moms, who need help at a pivotal point in their lives and, more importantly, their children's lives. It is so necessary for this to be done in a quiet, nurturing home setting, and this expansion allows us to continue to do that."

The $1.1 million project includes $800,000 for construction and a target completion date in nine months to a year. The engineer is Wayne Arakaki; the architect, August Percha, and the contractor, 3D Builders.
The board of Malama Na Makua A Keiki, which runs Malama Family Recovery Center, purchased the land for a Kahului treatment home complex about 10 years ago, said Jud Cunningham, chief executive officer of Malama, Aloha House and Maui Youth & Family Services.

The lot had two cottages and a house that Malama utilized for its live-in therapeutic and outpatient treatment programs, Cunningham explained. The two cottages, which serve as live-in quarters, were retained on-site, but the house was torn down to make way for the new facility.

Malama has been using Maui Youth & Family Services' old dormitory facilities for the last nine months to make up for the lost space while the new structure is being built, he said.

Project funding came from the Community Development Block Grant program and the Harry & Jeannette Weinberg, Strong, Alexander & Baldwin, Fred Baldwin Memorial, Atherton and Bank of Hawaii foundations.

Malama offers a therapeutic living program that is state-licensed for 10 beds, primarily for pregnant and parenting women. Cunningham indicated that Malama may seek licensing for up to 14 beds, given sufficient funding, after construction is completed.

Malama programs are unique in Hawaii because they provide a nurturing, healing and healthy environment for women facing substance abuse issues. While Malama focuses on expectant mothers or those with children, all women are welcome in the program.

August 26, 2009
Accreditation earned for rehabilitation work
MAKAWAO - The rehabilitative services of Aloha House and Malama Family Recovery Center have been accredited for three years by CARF, formerly the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.

Aloha House's accreditation covers:

Malama Family Recovery Center was accredited for the community housing and the outpatient treatment it provides to adults addicted to alcohol and other drugs.

"The process of obtaining accreditation for both of our agencies has been extremely gratifying and was a great way for our team to fine-tune our processes," said Jud Cunningham, chief executive officer of Aloha House and Malama Family Recovery Center.

"In a time where we are continually challenged to improve our outcomes with fewer resources, having this kind of review and feedback is extremely important to us," he said.

CARF is an independent, nonprofit body founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.

Its "consultative" process centers on enhancing the lives of clients in order to promote quality, value and optimal outcomes of services. Accreditation involves peer review and on-site observation of programs.

Aloha House has been "helping to create brighter futures" on Maui for more than 31 years by providing family-centered behavioral health interventions to prevent and to treat individual and family dysfunction.

Malama Na Makua A Keiki Inc.'s Malama Family Recovery Center has been working for 16 years to provide a safe, sober, healthy environment for women "to do the challenging work of healing themselves so that they can create change for their families and their future."

December 31, 2008: Maui News feature
People Who Made a Difference
Aloha House mental health crisis response workers. You might call them paramedics for the soul.

December 3, 2008: Maui News feature
Hero Project Receives a Financial Boost
KIHEI - A peer-driven substance-abuse-prevention program at Lokelani Intermediate School has received a $12,500 grant from the Alexander & Baldwin Foundation.

March 2, 2008
Aloha House Adds Dormitory Buildings
MAKAWAO — Aloha House expects to be able to accept more patients with the addition of two new dormitory buildings to its campus.

The nonprofit agency just completed a 16-bed dormitory for substance-abuse residential treatment, said Executive Director Jud Cunningham. He hoped to have the facility licensed by the Office of Health Care Assurance to start operating within a few weeks. The State Health Planning and Development Administration has already approved an application to add treatment beds, he said.

A second, eight-bed dormitory is expected to be finished this summer and will likely be used as a detoxification facility, Cunningham said.

The $400,000 capital project was primarily funded with Community Development Block Grants, along with private grants and individual contributions. Aloha House currently has 32 beds available for residential treatment, Cunningham said.

February 11, 2008
Aloha House Receives Grant from Hawaii Community Foundation
KAHULUI, MAUI - Aloha House, Inc. has been awarded a grant in the amount of $30,000 from the Robert E. Black Fund of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation. The purpose of the grant is to assist the agency in building it’s organizational capacity in the area of information technology.

Aloha House, Inc. is a nonprofit organization established in 1977 for the purpose of providing outpatient and residential treatment for persons addicted to alcohol and/or other drugs. In recent years, the organization broadened its mission to include provision of substance abuse and mental health outpatient services for children, adolescents and their families. The agency is accredited and licensed by the State Department of Health as a special treatment facility and also holds national accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities. Those interested in learning more about Aloha House and the services it provides may contact either the Admissions Coordinator at 242-9733 or administrative offices at 871-1314. Please visit our website at www.aloha-house.org.

Established in 1916, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) is a statewide, charitable services and grantmaking institution endowed with contributions from many donors. HCF is a steward of more than 450 donor funds, including more than 120 scholarship funds, and distributes charitable funds to Hawai‘i's nonprofit organizations through a variety of programs. HCF also serves as a resource on philanthropy and community investing.

November 12, 2007: Maui News editorial
30 Years of Aloha House Celebrated
WAILUKU – Seven years ago, Leonani’s addiction to drugs was so great “I could not function” without them, she said.

June 13, 2007: Maui News story
Aloha House Volunteer Earns Fourth Lyons Palaka Award
WAILUKU – Dr. Jerry Welch’s significant contributions during 13 years as a member of the Aloha House Inc. board have made him the fourth recipient of the Michael H. Lyons II Palaka Award, presented by the J. Walter Cameron Center.

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October 31, 2007
Aloha House Opens New Outpatient Clinic
WAILUKU, MAUI – Aloha House, Inc has expanded its outpatient substance abuse treatment services with a new clinic located at 250 Waiehu Beach Road. We encourage anyone who feels the need to speak to a counselor or ask questions about treatment to come in to our new facility. We are open to all walk-ins with no appointment necessary.

Aloha House outpatient services include one on one counseling, group therapy, telephone screening, next day appointments, privacy rooms are available for confidentiality, crisis services, treatment planning conferences, psychiatric evaluation, case management, social skills groups, and vocational assessments.

The Mission of the Intensive Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Program is to assist persons and families addicted to drugs and/or alcohol to maintain a healthy and sober lifestyle.

On November 15, 2007 The new Aloha House Outpatient Clinic will host an Open House. Festivities will begin at 11am with a blessing of the new facility, then at 12 noon, heavy pupus and entertainment. All are invited and welcome.

October 16, 2007
Aloha House Receives Grant from the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
UPCOUNTRY MAUI - The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation has awarded a grant in the amount of $287,000 to Aloha House, Inc. to complete the construction of two new dormitories to house participants in its residential substance abuse treatment program. The dorms, located on Ike Drive near Makawao, will add twenty-four treatment beds, bringing the total to fifty-six.

The capital project is also supported by grants from the Maui County Community Development Block Grant Program, other foundations and trust, including Cooke Foundation, Atherton Family Foundation, Bank of Hawaii Charitable Foundation, and contributions from individual donors.
The buildings are slated for completion in early 2008 and will address the critical need on Maui for additional residential treatment capacity for substance abuse and other behavioral health needs.

Aloha House, Inc. provides an array of residential and outpatient behavioral health services for both youth and adults and is celebrating its 30th year of service to the maui community.