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GALDONES:Commissioner Siracusa.
<br />SIRACUSA:Thank you. I have a follow-up question in that how would kids be
<br />referred to your program and are you going to focus on local youth?
<br />MCKINNEY:Well, like I said, it is expensive to operate these programs. In
<br />order for us to get the license from the Department of Health, we will have to build the
<br />facility, we will have to have our employees in place. So the costs are still a bit up in the
<br />air. We work with a number of referring professionals from the mainland, from other
<br />islands. Were relatively new to the Big Island. And since a lot of this is contingent just
<br />upon the Planning Commission, we havent gone out shaking hands and saying, Hey,
<br />weve a facility. Theres obviously a need for that. You know, as I said, I think what
<br />we will, as we become legitimate, I think well reach out more to our own community
<br />anditwillbeveryeasytofindstudentslocally.And,asIsaid,Ihavelotsof
<br />relationships with referring professionals, as well as lots of families that Ive worked with
<br />in the past that really have appreciated it. Theres a lot of word of mouth in this industry.
<br />So it comes from a number of different areas, but we will certainly be working with the
<br />local community.
<br />KAISER:Yeah, County government as well and social workers. I mean,
<br />theres a whole list of referring sources that we would basically go out and introduce
<br />ourselves to, so that they could send the appropriate people to us.
<br />SIRACUSA:My concern is knowing how many young people really need help
<br />in lots of different ways to, in some way, assure ourselves that its not going to be, that
<br />your facility is not going to be filled with youth, troubled youth from the mainland, when
<br />we have so many here and they wouldnt be able to access a facility like this.
<br />MCKINNEY:Sure. Once again, I think theres a bottom line, and we have to
<br />bring in money. So we very well may have some people from the mainland. But, really,
<br />what that will, money will do, it will be on a sliding scale. We certainly wouldnt
<br />subsidize anyone from the mainland to come out here. We would like to use their money,
<br />if needed, to subsidize the students here.
<br />I think the other thing, too, that Id like to address is that, you know, a 16-bed facility is
<br />not going to change -. But we would like to bring into this community our expertise and
<br />help the community, also, establish kind of a community-based mentoring program, you
<br />know. And we have a lot of different areas that we work in and, that work well with kids
<br />and, so, trying to get the local community involved as well and have them really be a part
<br />of, whether its Pacific Quest or we help design something thats more broad-based. And
<br />maybe its not residential but maybe its a program where mentors take kids out and, etc.,
<br />etc., so that -. You know, we really emphasize the community to our kids, to our staff
<br />and, so, we want to be there and be a resource.
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