Provides an evidence-based educational curriculum, programs, practices and strategies focusing on prevention and awareness, such as underage drinking, substance abuse, cyber bullying, teen suicide, as well as life and career skills and gender-specific programming to compliment in-school curriculum and the out-of-school activities. The training and evidence-based prevention program will benefit youths ages 11 to 18 in middle and high schools (6th – 12th grade), teachers, parents, families and the community of Maui island and Moloka’i.
Youth Services
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*20 Moloka‘i residents participate in suicide prevention training*![]()
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Twenty Moloka‘i residents learned to be suicide prevention gatekeepers in training sessions Tuesday and Wednesday conducted by Maui Economic Opportunity Youth Services.![]()
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The four sessions held over the two days at MEO’s Kaunakakai office covered recognition of the warning signs of suicide, how to provide support to those contemplating suicide and connecting them to services. The content was patterned after suicide prevention sessions held at Moloka‘i High and Intermediate in April.![]()
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The training sessions were a follow up to a town hall on suicide prevention held July 27. Some at the town hall were interested in the program taught in the schools.![]()
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MEO Youth Services’ work with suicide prevention on Moloka‘i is funded mainly through a county grant with additional support from private funding.![]()
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The next step is the creation of a Prevent Suicide Coalition group on Moloka‘i in September, which is National Suicide Prevention Month.![]()
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Resources available for those contemplating suicide include:![]()
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-- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a 24-hour hotline for individuals in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, (800) 273-8255 (TALK).![]()
-- Hawaii Cares, local professionals available 24 hours a day for those in mental health crisis and stress, (800) 753-6879.![]()
-- National Crisis Text Line, texting service available 24 hours a day for those in crisis, text “ALOHA to 741-741.”![]()
-- The Trevor Project, resource for LGBTQ+ youth, call (866) 488-7386 (4U-TREVOR), text (202) 304-1200 or chat online at TrevorChat.org.![]()
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For more information about MEO Youth Services on Moloka‘i, call (808) 553-5472.
*Suicide prevention trainings set Aug. 23-24 on Moloka‘i*![]()
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Suicide Prevention Basics, two-hour training workshops, will be offered by Maui Economic Opportunity Youth Services on Aug. 23 and 24 at MEO in Kaunakakai.![]()
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The trainings are for parents/guardians and will cover suicide risks, warning signs, how to listen, self-care and protective factors and resources available. This is a follow up to a town hall gathering on suicide prevention held July 27 in Kaunakakai. Some attendees were interested in the suicide prevention curriculum presented by Youth Services staff to Moloka‘i High and Intermediate students in April.![]()
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Youth are welcome to attend the trainings.![]()
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Four sessions are scheduled: Aug. 23, 2 to 4 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m., and Aug. 24, 10 a.m. to noon and 4 to 6 p.m. MEO is located at 380 Kolapa Place.![]()
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Reservations are required and can be made by calling (808) 553-5472 or emailing mela.candelario@meoinc.org.![]()
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If you or someone you know is in crisis, refer them to the Suicide & Crisis hotline at 988.
It was Youth Services Director Dane Ka‘ae's turn on The MEO Minute last Wednesday, July 13, a segment on Akaku's The Maui Daily.![]()
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He talked about Youth Services activities this summer for our high school- and intermediate-age youths.![]()
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The segment appears at about the 12-minute mark.![]()
cloud.castus.tv/vod/akaku/video/62cf7d474afae7000872fb1b?page=HOME
*MEO Youth Services hosts town hall on suicide and prevention*![]()
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A Moloka‘i Suicide Prevention & Awareness Day on Wednesday, July 27, culminates in a town hall gathering at Kalaiakamanu Hou Church Hall in Kaunakakai from 4:30 to 6 p.m.![]()
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Maui Economic Opportunity Youth Services in partnership with the County of Maui and E Ola Hou Prevent Suicide Maui County Task Force is staging the “Let’s Talk Story About Hope, Help, and Healing” town hall and other events that day.![]()
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The town hall will host open discussions on the needs of the community and ways to help support and connect individuals at-risk of suicide to local, state and national resources. The goal is to provide a safety net for the community of Moloka’i.![]()
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At the town hall, MEO staff will share their experiences teaching MEO’s bullying and suicide prevention curriculum at Moloka‘i High and Middle School and discuss topics, such as the stigma of suicide and risk and protective factors.![]()
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Other speakers include E Ola Hou task force members; Danielle Bergan, Mental Health America of Hawaii Maui Community Coordinator; Marcie Ventura, school-based behavioral health and resource and support for the public school’s Canoe Complex; and Wendy Schwartz, Community Engagement Partnerships Coordinator for the Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System.![]()
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Light pupu and drinks will be served. A Keiki Corner for child care during the town hall will be available. Transportation also can be arranged by calling (808) 243-4315.![]()
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Earlier in the day from 2 to 3 p.m., there will be a sign-waving “Cruz around Town” walk through Kaunakakai, from the gym to the library. Residents are invited to join the sign-waving and walk. There also will be training and presentations for public school administrators, teachers and first responders.![]()
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The town hall and other suicide prevention activities are part of MEO’s effort to bring its youth suicide, bullying, substance abuse, alcohol and smoking prevention programs to Moloka‘i. Youth Services staff has taken its evidence-based prevention curriculum into classrooms at Moloka‘i High and Middle School and started the Kāohi (to prevent) program, which offers after-school and summer, fall, winter and spring break activities.![]()
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In this inaugural summer of Kāohi, youths have built a cardboard castle for MEO Head Start preschoolers, learned about vehicle maintenance and how to change a tire, assisted with food distribution and participated in recreational activities.![]()
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For more information about the town hall or Kāohi, call (808) 243-4315.