Fostering Community Connections Through Native Hawaiian Cultural Values to Strengthen Youth Resilience, Health, and Well-Being

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ABSTRACT Similar to other indigenous people, Native Hawaiian (NH) view health and well-being holistically. These concepts are centered on lōkahi (balance) among relationships with family and community, akua (spiritual), and ʻāina (land, sea). NH communities were once thriving, sustainable ecosystems. However, westernization of local economies, displacement of people from their ʻāina, and the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy brought about rapid changes. Today, historical trauma persists as intergenerational cycles of disparities. The health of NH youth has worsened. Eurocentric approaches to address health disparities have done little to interrupt these cycles, especially in under-resourced communities. The project will address historical trauma and barriers to effective care by moving beyond clinic walls to create a system of support that embraces NH cultural values and practices, empowers youth, and promotes lōkahi, resilience, health, and a stronger community. Two well-established NH-serving federally-qualified community health centers will partner with schools and place- based community organizations. Together they will increase access to care by identifying and cross-referring challenged youth for wellness promotion and targeted care/management across organizations, especially for mental health concerns. Partners will apply NH values, promote traditional NH concepts in the context of modern methods, and use trauma-informed approaches. Partners will also collaborate around community-identified outcomes of value through data sharing and dissemination of results to community members, funders, and policymakers. This important project will expand knowledge about strategies needed to implement and sustain a NH youth-centered system of care and the value of such a system to support youth through young adulthood.