Maui Youth and Family Service staff and youth participants gathered at a recent event on the Maui Youth & Family Services campus. Courtesy photo

Maui Youth & Family Services, in partnership with Maui United Way and Sentry’s Mālama Nā Keiki Initiative, is expanding critical mental health services for keiki impacted by the Lahaina wildfires.

Guided by the theme, “lei po’ina ‘ole ke keiki” (a lei never forgotten is the beloved child), the initiative supports both direct care and the development of a broader community network of healing.

“This partnership is a vital step in creating a cohesive, trauma-informed care system for our youth and families,” said Jason Economou, president and CEO of Maui United Way, in a news release. “We’re committed to ensuring keiki receive meaningful, culturally relevant support–and that we are growing our own providers that are equipped to deliver it.”

Maui Youth & Family Services will deliver counseling and substance use treatment through school-based counselors, community locations, residential programs and cultural prevention services.

Partnering with Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui, MEO’s Head Start, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and YouthLine, the organization aims to extend mental health support to more youth.

The program also includes expert-led training to strengthen trauma-informed care and integrate cultural knowledge into clinical practices. It will provide professional development training to over 100 providers, education and support to approximately 150 parents and family members, and serve almost 1,400 youth with program activities.

“We’re excited to partner with Sentry and Maui United Way on the Mālama Nā Keiki Initiative,” said Nicole Hokoana, CEO of Maui Youth & Family Services. “This collaboration helps us build a stronger, more cohesive network of support for Maui’s keiki and ‘ohana.”