On Friday, Prosecuting Attorney Rebecca Like announced the eight recipients of the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Life’s Choices program Mental Health and Substance Abuse Community Program Grants for Fiscal Year 2024-2025. The total amount awarded is $1,000,000. Project funding will run from March 2025 through March 2026.
This year, priority consideration was given to programs serving adolescents and young adults on Kauai, focusing on prosocial activities for youth.
Life’s Choices received numerous applications from many deserving nonprofits. Awards will be given to the following programs and nonprofits:
Aina TEK Workforce Training Program Kumano I Ke Ala O Makaweli
This program will provide prosocial, ‘aina-based workforce training for at-risk and adjudicated youth and young adults in West Kaua‘i. Participants will engage in hands-on agricultural skill-building, leadership development, and environmental restoration, offering structured alternatives to substance abuse and high-risk behaviors. Through mentorship, job training, and cultural connection, the program fosters economic stability, personal growth, and community integration while addressing the needs of the local workforce in sustainable agriculture.
Kaua‘i Youth Prevention Treatment and Recovery Initiative: Building a Continuum of Care
Hale ‘Opio Kaua‘i, Inc. will demonstrate a multi-pronged approach to mental health and substance abuse treatment by creating an internal continuum of care in three focus areas: Assessment and Treatment; Community Programs, including Kaua‘i Empowered Youth for Success (K.E.Y.S.) and Anti-Vaping Classes and Certification; and Coalition Building.
Kaiola Canoe Club
This award will purchase the necessary supplies to support Kaiola’s Youth Paddling Program and After-School Mentorship Program. The youth paddling program provides adolescents and young adults with the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of Hawaiian and Polynesian paddling. The V1 and OC-1 training foster physical fitness, perseverance, and a connection to Polynesian cultural traditions. Participants develop responsibility, leadership, and communication skills through regular paddling practices.
The After-School Mentorship program provides a structured and supportive environment for adolescents ages 11-14 where they can build relationships with positive role models and engage in meaningful activities that enhance personal development.
Substance Abuse Prevention Through Prosocial Kaua‘i Braveheart FC
Kaua‘i Braveheart will host two semiannual youth soccer tournaments, providing local youth with opportunities to compete, develop their athletic skills, and build community spirit through sportsmanship and teamwork. These tournaments will be uniquely structured to foster healthy prosocial interactions across different age groups and talent levels.
Youth participants aged 12-18 will be offered coaching internship opportunities, allowing them to gain hands-on experience in mentoring and coaching younger players.
They will organize four quarterly soccer camps yearly, each focusing on skill development, leadership, and community-building activities. These camps will provide a comprehensive training experience for youth participants, combining technical soccer drills with workshops on social responsibility and personal growth. The camps will also emphasize the importance of teamwork, discipline, and volunteerism through community service projects and collaborative activities.
Prosocial Opportunities for Kaua‘i Youth Parents and Children Together (PACT)
This program provides family therapy and opportunities for youth to join sports leagues and other prosocial activities.
Youth Mental Health &Prosocial Services Kaua‘i Planning &Action Alliance
This program will provide 500 Waimea Canyon Middle School students with prosocial and prevention activities. KPAA will collaborate with partner organizations and individuals to promote positive youth development and provide supportive environments, connections, and resources to improve mental health concerns among our youth and build healthy habits and skills. We will complete several projects during the year with the Kaua‘i Skate ‘Ohana, Waimea Canyon Middle School, Kōloa Dance House, Melissa Wilson MFT, the Department of Health, and various local muralists.
New Mats for a Healthier Community Full Armor Academy
This award will be used to purchase equipment allowing for free, year-round jiu-jitsu classes and mentorship for youth and adults in our community, using a research-based, long-term approach to reduce risky behaviors and promote positive life outcomes. At the heart of the program is the safe, structured practice of jiu-jitsu, where participants learn discipline, teamwork, and conflict-resolution skills. Thanks to new mats, uniforms, and equipment, we can ensure that financial hardships do not limit a person’s ability to train. In addition to the physical training, they incorporate grade checks and voluntary surveys for students and their parents to assess changes in academic performance, attitude, and social connections. These feedback tools allow us to measure each participant’s progress and refine the program. By fostering a supportive environment—rooted in evidence-informed strategies such as consistent mentorship, skill-building, and cultural values of respect—we aim to strengthen community ties, improve academic engagement, and offer a healthier alternative to substance use and other risky behaviors.
Ho‘o Nakili and Heroes and Helpers Friends of Children’s Justice Center
This award will be used for “youth enhancements” to help support the needs of individual vulnerable youth and will also be used for the Heroes and Helpers event.
Prosecutor Like said, “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to support these programs for youth this year. Engaging youth in prosocial activities is critical to prevention. Congratulations to the awardees, and thank you to the nonprofits that applied but were not selected this year — we appreciate your hard work and dedication. Investing in youth provides them with the tools they need to live healthy, independent lives. Providing them with the tools available through these programs is not only a benefit to the youth and their families but also strengthens our community as a whole.”
