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call it something else. We want to be regulated, we want people to come out. We want
<br />an opportunity for the public to come forth and give their impressions. Because, you
<br />know, working with kids, you know, whether theyre extremely oppositional or a just a
<br />little oppositional, you know, it does affect the community, we think in a positive way.
<br />You know, we know that these kids are out there. Were looking to help them.
<br />Throughout my career, Ive seen very punitive programs, Ive seen lockdown programs.
<br />And, to me, that doesnt reach internal motivations that students really need in order to
<br />have long-term success. Most of these programs are very behavioral-based, very short-
<br />sighted where they whip the kids into shape. You know, I agree the facilities often are our
<br />last resort.
<br />We are kind of running, this is a working organic farm and residential treatment facility
<br />which, like I said, really are, the way were looking at it is we will be regulated, we will
<br />be,wecanhaveaPh.D.overseeingclinicalaspects.Wewillhave,youknow,allthe
<br />departments regulating us, making sure that were doing the right thing. We want to be a
<br />family for these kids who are having difficulties. We are shorter term, we can do short-
<br />term and long-term. Wed like to be able to do a month or two months for kids who are
<br />just kind of going in that direction. Wed also like to be able to spend up to a year with a
<br />student that needs, you know, a little bit more work.
<br />Were not in this for the money. Chris and I are Pacific Quest. We have a passion for
<br />working with these kids. We have kind of developed our own way of modeling personal
<br />responsibility, working with these kids as mentors, not as people who are going to tell
<br />them what to do on how they should fit in. Many of these kids are very, very bright.
<br />We also want to have a very stringent screening process where if you do have students
<br />that really have clinical diagnosis, this program wont be appropriate. Now, Im sure
<br />theres a, and weve been discussing that with the Department of Health. You know, Im
<br />not sure, if you look at the documents, youre going to see what we are. But we wanted
<br />to err on the side of being as regulated as possible, because I think we could probably do
<br />something like this and call it something else. But I do want to work with the best
<br />possible staff. I do want to do this above board and make sure that everyone feels
<br />comfortable, because I think that the community of Ka`u has a need for this, other
<br />surrounding areas, neighboring islands. We also want to operate it on a sliding scale.
<br />These programs are expensive to run, but we would like to be able to subsidize especially
<br />in our community of Ka`u because it really isnt a well-off community for the most part.
<br />And I think a lot of the kids that need help, we will be able to provide scholarships for
<br />them.
<br />KAISER:Im the elder but Im the less talkative one so -. My experience
<br />over the past 7-1/2 8 years has been working with primarily adolescents in, at-risk
<br />adolescents, adjudicated in residential facilities, wilderness programs, foster homes, child
<br />care homes, those kinds of places. My experience has all been in the field or with the
<br />kids. Im not a therapist, Im not a manager, I pretty much work with kids. I think that
<br />pretty much is all my experience. But, yeah -.
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