{"id":223212,"date":"2025-10-06T15:00:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T01:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=223212"},"modified":"2025-10-06T15:00:55","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T01:00:55","slug":"hlt-jabsom-fellowship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/10\/06\/hlt-jabsom-fellowship\/","title":{"rendered":"\u02bb\u0100ina-based behavioral health program launched by JABSOM<\/abbr>, Hawai\u02bbi Land Trust"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"hilt-jabsom
Participants of the Mohala Liko Lehua fellowship program.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A first–of–its–kind fellowship in Hawaiʻi<\/span> is training the next generation of culturally grounded behavioral health providers, thanks to a new collaboration between the University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> at M\u0101noa John A. Burns School of Medicine<\/abbr><\/a> (JABSOM<\/abbr>) Department of Native Hawaiian Health and Hawaiʻi<\/span> Land Trust<\/a> (HILT<\/abbr>).<\/p>\n

The program, called Mohala Liko Lehua, will host three post–doctoral psychology (PsyD<\/abbr>) fellows and three post–master of social work (MSW<\/abbr>) fellows, who will be trained and supervised by licensed psychologists and social workers at JABSOM<\/abbr>. Fellows will partner with HILT<\/abbr> to design and deliver behavioral health services on Oʻahu<\/span>, Maui, Kauaʻi<\/span> and Hawaiʻi<\/span> Island, strengthening community capacity and promoting wellbeing.<\/p>\n

Hands-on training rooted in Hawaiian values<\/h2>\n

Throughout the one–year fellowship, participants will receive advanced training in trauma–informed, ʻ\u0101ina<\/span> (land)– and culture–based care rooted in Hawaiian values. Their work will be integrated into HILT<\/abbr>\u2019s community preserves and existing educational programs. The fellows will also receive their clinical training at Queen\u2019s Health Systems sites on Oʻahu<\/span> and Maui, as well as the Ka Malu a Waʻahila<\/span> Behavioral Health program for Native Hawaiian\/Pacific Islander students at 糖心视频<\/abbr> M\u0101noa. Program goals include serving at least 4,000 youth, enhancing HILT<\/abbr> staff capacity, and measuring community impact.<\/p>\n

Robin Miyamoto, program director at JABSOM<\/abbr>, said the program\u2019s name draws from the ʻ\u014dlelo<\/span> noʻeau<\/span> (Hawaiian proverb), M\u014dhala i ka wai, ka maka o ka pua<\/em>, suggesting that flowers thrive when the environmental conditions are good.<\/p>\n

This reminds us of our responsibility to protect and sustain our culture and the health of our people so that future generations can thrive.
—Robin Miyamoto<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“This reminds us of our responsibility to protect and sustain our culture and the health of our people so that future generations can thrive,” she explained. “This program will enhance and expand our existing training efforts and will serve as a new pipeline for behavioral health clinicians. It is grounded in a foundation of cultural humility and safety, focusing on promoting resilience rather than solely addressing disparities.”<\/p>\n

In addition to meeting immediate behavioral health needs, the program serves as a workforce development pipeline, preparing homegrown providers who can deliver culturally fluent care across Hawaiʻi<\/span>.<\/p>\n

“Mohala Liko Lehua is informed by and designed for underrepresented communities, especially Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations that have long faced systemic health disparities and underinvestment in behavioral health,” said ʻOlu<\/span> Campbell, president and CEO<\/abbr> of HILT<\/abbr>. “Addressing these inequities requires solutions that are community–driven, rooted in ʻ\u0101ina<\/span> and culture, and grounded in trust–based relationships.”<\/p>\n

Supported by the Health Resources & Services Administration, Maui United Way, 糖心视频<\/abbr>, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and other partners, JABSOM<\/abbr> and HILT<\/abbr> plan to continue Mohala Liko Lehua for at least four years, training a minimum of 24 fellows. Additional funding is still needed to sustain the program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The fellowship unites land stewardship and behavioral health to train culturally grounded providers who can serve Hawaii\u2019s communities statewide.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":223217,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[31,1157,242,244,9,603],"class_list":["post-223212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-john-a-burns-school-of-medicine","tag-mental-health","tag-native-hawaiian-health","tag-social-work","tag-uh-manoa","tag-workforce-development","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t