Running head: KOKUA KALIHI VALLEY

Community Resource: Kokua Kalihi Valley

Kristina Valenzuela
Kapi'olani Community College

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Kokua Kalihi Valley

Kokua Kalihi Valley (KKV) was formed as a non-profit organization in 1972 by

Reverend Jory Watland and four outreach workers in a Kalihi Valley Homes apartment
(Kokua Kalihi Valley, n.d.). They enlisted the help of Dr. Charles Judd and Dr. William
Myers to provide medical services at Kalihi Valley Homes. In 1973, they were able to
purchase and renovate two military trailers to use as medical and dental clinics. Dr. Ron
Carlson volunteered to provide dental services. In 1985, they relocated to Gulick Avenue,
and then again in 2001 to their newest location on North School Street. They also manage
a nature preserve in the back of Kalihi Valley called Ho'oulu Aina. In total, KKV provides
services out of nine locations primarily for residents living in the area from the H-1
freeway to the mountains, between Kalihi Street to Fort Shafter (Personal interview,
February 19, 2015). The North School Street facilities are open six days a week
(Monday-Saturday), 10 hours a day. Parking is available behind, and under, the Charles
Judd Community Health Center.
Services at Kokua Kalihi Valley
KKV offers a variety of services ranging from primary medical care to behavioral
health services to case management for public housing residents. They care for residents
of all ages of the Kalihi Valley community. Miriama "Mili" Samifua, the Community
Family Planning Health Educator says that, "families can pretty much get all of their
medical and dental needs met here so its very convenient" (Personal interview, February
19, 2015). The organization has a big commitment to youth and family and provides a
variety of positive and educational activities, such as tennis and bike riding.

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Maternal Services
In addition to the services mentioned, Kokua Kalihi Valley provides perinatal
services in coordination with the University of Hawaii John A. Burns Medical School
residency program in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Prenatal exams are conducted at the
Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Wellness Center on North School Street four days a week by
Senior OB Residents from Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children. Nutrition
assessment and counseling are provided at the health center, and women can apply for
supplemental food coupons through WIC, obtain prenatal vitamins and get counseling on
breastfeeding. The Maternal Services department also works with the Dental and
Behavioral Health departments to schedule dental cleanings, provide counseling
(especially if clients are experiencing postpartum depression), and to register for smoking
cessation and alcohol/substance abuse classes. KKV also offers health education classes
and support groups for families. Expectant mothers can participate in a 7-session
Childbirth Class that provides information on pregnancy, the labor process, relaxation
techniques, postpartum care and a tour of Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and
Children. Classes are held every Friday for approximately two hours. A great incentive is
offered to women to take the Childbirth Class; if they complete the sessions, they are
given a free car seat. The New Mom and Baby Support Group, and Ohana Play and
Learn, allow opportunities for new mothers, infants and their families to learn about
topics related to infant care and to get community support from fellow mothers. Perinatal
Case Managers also follow-up with clients at regular intervals postpartum to ensure that
women are keeping up with their infants' appointments, to see if they need any
counseling, and to offer Family Planning services.

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Other Information
KKV would be a great resource for expectant mothers and their families because
they offer a wide variety of services, are centrally located for easy access and
accommodate the needs of their diverse, ethnic community. KKV accepts and provides
services to all residents, both insured and noninsured. For clients who are not insured, a
sliding scale is used to determine fees based on household income (Personal interview,
February 19, 2015). Transportation services are available to take clients to and from their
appointments at the health center as well as outside sites. A Reading Room is available
for children to wait while their parents go in for an exam or counseling. According to
Mili, "most of the staff here speak more than one language because we service see a very
diverse community and it makes it easier for us to address their needs" (Personal
interview, February 19, 2015). She also says, "KKV primarily serves clients of
Micronesian/Chuukese, Samoan and Filipino ethnicities, but staff members are also
fluent in other languages such as Chinese, Laotian and Spanish" (Personal interview,
February 19, 2015).
Conclusion
After my visit to the health center, and obtaining more information about the
services offered, I would highly recommend this resource to anyone living in the Kalihi
Valley area. The facilities are easy to locate and kept clean, the staff are friendly and
informative, and families can benefit from any of the vast number of services available.
Clients can visit the health center on a walk-in basis and can obtain brochures on other
resources available outside the health center as well.

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References
Kokua Kalihi Valley (n.d.). History. Retrieved February 18, 2015, from http://kkv.net
[Personal interview]. (2015, February 19).