{"id":3127,"date":"2018-11-02T10:39:19","date_gmt":"2018-11-02T20:39:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uhphawaii.org\/?p=3127"},"modified":"2020-02-14T03:12:23","modified_gmt":"2020-02-14T13:12:23","slug":"our-good-neighbor-paij-nakamura-and-the-hawaii-harm-reduction-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uhphawaii.org\/index.php\/our-good-neighbor-paij-nakamura-and-the-hawaii-harm-reduction-center\/","title":{"rendered":"#WEAREUHP: Paij Nakamura and the Hawaii Harm Reduction Center"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3127\" class=\"elementor elementor-3127\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8c86a6f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8c86a6f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-332222c9\" data-id=\"332222c9\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6fa01cd1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6fa01cd1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-large\">#WEAREUHP: Paij Nakamura and the Hawaii Harm Reduction Center<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5c78b45b elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"5c78b45b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-46f67bb elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/uhphawaii.org\/author\/mkotrodimos1\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"far fa-user-circle\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMarybeth Kotrodimos\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-a474e5f elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/uhphawaii.org\/index.php\/2018\/11\/02\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-calendar\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>November 2, 2018<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-65988517 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"65988517\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/uhphawaii.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/IMG_6354-1.jpg?fit=640%2C432&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-3128\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/uhphawaii.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/IMG_6354-1.jpg?w=640&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/uhphawaii.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/IMG_6354-1.jpg?resize=150%2C101&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/uhphawaii.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/IMG_6354-1.jpg?resize=300%2C203&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3ea8a627 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3ea8a627\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-102ca192\" data-id=\"102ca192\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-34773d4e elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"34773d4e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c28bc2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2c28bc2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>November 2, 2018 &#8212;<\/strong><\/p><p>Written by Marybeth Kotrodimos. Photo by Vina Cristobal.<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the second floor of the Gold Bond Building, which is a short elevator ride from UHP Central, you will find the home of an organization that most of us know of as CHOW. \u00a0Few of us at UHP know how this very impressive group of care-givers is related to UHP or the scope of the work they do. <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CHOW (Community Health Outreach Work to Prevent AIDS Project) is the name of the old non-profit organization that helps people on Oahu who are struggling from substance abuse, homelessness, and mental illness. They also offer support and services to the transgender community. This year, CHOW merged with the Life Foundation, the Pacific\u2019s oldest and largest organization helping those with HIV\/AIDS. Together, they now serve their target populations as the Hawaii Health &amp; Harm Reduction Center (H3RC).<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As their new name indicates, H3RC employs the harm reduction model. This is an approach which utilizes a range of strategies, including managed use of drugs and alcohol to abstinence, and to reduce the harm that substance abuse causes. Harm reduction practitioners are committed to treating those they serve with compassion, respect, and realistic expectations. Rather than taking the punitive approach that more traditional models have employed, this relatively new model addresses the issue of substance abuse by meeting addicted individuals \u201cwhere they\u2019re at\u201d and empowering them to help themselves and each other achieve a healthier way of life as well as develop a sense of stability and self-esteem. <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But probably the best way to understand the effectiveness of both the harm reduction model and the Hawaii Health &amp; Harm Reduction Center is to listen to Paij Nakamura tell her inspiring story. \u00a0Paij describes herself as having been the \u201clowest level of drug addict,\u201d and emphasizes that if she can recover from that existence \u201canyone can.\u201d She has come full circle as a Community Health Outreach Worker offering the very services she once received when she was on the street and using heroin.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paij was like one of the many people we see every day on the streets of Honolulu, one of those people we tend to avoid, someone invisible to most of us as we go about our day to day business. \u00a0She <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">was<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> there. <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As she readily shares her story, we see a very different kind of individual. Articulate, self-aware, and obviously possessing a generous and caring disposition, Paij is living proof of a life transformed. She speaks at conferences and meets with community leaders and legislators. \u00a0She works to help pass bills which will save lives, like the one which would make naloxone, a drug which can reverse overdoses from heroin and painkillers, more readily available to those who use or those who care for people who use opioids, both legally and illegally. But as she speaks of her past, she talks about shooting galleries, deceased friends, being sent to prison, and procuring needles. In fact, it was her need for clean needles which led her to CHOW.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paij\u2019s association with CHOW began in the early 90s when, as she tells it, a fellow intravenous drug user said, \u201cHey, I\u2019m going to this place in Chinatown where you can exchange old syringes for new ones.\u201d She went with him, \u201cdown steps to a dank little basement\u201d which, at that time, served as the home of CHOW. \u00a0She credits this exchange program with saving many lives, referring to its \u201cimpact on the number of communicable diseases\u201d it has prevented. But she emphasizes that CHOW (now H3RC) is much much more. <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paij\u2019s path to a healthy and productive life was not a straight line. \u00a0She explains that during her \u201calmost 30 years of being wasted,\u201d she had \u201cshort periods of recovery\u201d but then would start using drugs again. Through it all, she said, the staff at CHOW never judged her. \u201cNo judgement. No judgement. They wouldn\u2019t say, \u2018Oh, you\u2019re back again,\u2019 just, \u2018Oh, what can I do for you?\u2019\u201d <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As Paij went from \u201cbeing stable, very housed, with a good job\u201d to a point where \u201cthings started progressing and going downhill,\u201d CHOW became increasingly important to her survival. \u00a0\u00a0She talks about the times when she credits CHOW with directly saving her life, how a CHOW worker brought her to the ER, how she \u201cgot hygiene\u201d from them, how they helped settle domestic disputes, \u201cso many things through the years.\u201d But most important, Paij said, was \u201cthe personal connection, the rapport,\u201d that CHOW offered her. \u201cCHOW workers gave me their ear and their time. They treated me with dignity. They didn\u2019t make me feel that I was less than, like everybody else around.\u201d Here she echoes a very important component of the Harm Reduction Model, as it maintains that an approach that condemns and punishes drug users will often just make for an increase in the self-recrimination and feelings of low-esteem which will cause them to continue on the downward spiral of addiction. <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the help of the people of CHOW, Paij was able to step out of that downward spiral. She said that for years she had wanted to work at CHOW, but had to wait until she was ready, until she was strong enough to be a support to those who were living the life she left behind. \u00a0After being sober for two years, she returned to CHOW to show a staff member she calls her mentor and friend how her hard work and steady support had led Paij to health and a chance to fully live her life. Paij went back to school and took an internship at CHOW, then became a volunteer. She is now fully employed by H3RC, delivering services and giving others her ear and her time. <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI\u2019m in the van now,\u201d she says, referring the van that is used for needle exchange, wound care, and other services brought to people on the streets. \u00a0\u201cI can\u2019t tell you how what that means to me \u2013 to be that person.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here at UHP, we have a vision. \u00a0It is written clearly on the wall in the reception area of our offices in the Gold Bond Building: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our Vision<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the vision of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ALOHA <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2013 to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Attain Lasting Optimal Health for All<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Paij and the people she now helps are part of that \u201cAll,\u201d all members of the island community that we share. Her transformation is one in which we can take some pride because we at UHP help make this vision, this goal that we share with H3RC, a reality for people like Paij. \u00a0In pursuit of this shared goal, UHP administers a grant from the Hawaii Ryan White Part B Program to assist H3RC in its fight against the spread of HIV\/AIDS. H3RC is connected to UHP by this grant, as well as the purpose and the work they share with The Clint Spencer Clinic, and our doctors, such as Dr. Tricia Wright, who have given their time and efforts helping those with HIV and the effects of substance abuse; but mostly we are connected by the spirit of ALOHA, and our vision to deliver help and the chance for good health to all.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><b>About the Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since 1993, the Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center has focused on HIV &amp; HCV testing; HIV\/AIDS case management, counseling and support; non-judgmental street-based wound care; syringe exchange; transgender services; PrEP Navigation resources (for those desiring medication that reduces their chances of contracting HIV); the LEAD referral program that diverts low-level offenders into social services; and \u201cHawaii\u2019s Last Drag\u201d multi-step program for quitting smoking. <\/span><\/p><p><b><br \/>For more information on Harm Reduction and the Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center:<br \/><\/b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #015c39;\"><strong><br \/><a style=\"color: #015c39; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hhhrc.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.hhhrc.org\/<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p><p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #015c39;\"><a style=\"color: #015c39;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.harmreduction.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.harmreduction.org<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p><p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #015c39;\"><a style=\"color: #015c39;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.hawaiinewsnow.com\/clip\/14476381\/merger-of-life-foundation-and-the-chow-project-to-create-hawaii-health-harm-reduction-center\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">http:\/\/www.hawaiinewsnow.com\/clip\/14476381\/merger-of-life-foundation-and-the-chow-project-to-create-hawaii-health-harm-reduction-center\/<\/a> <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-59586ad8 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"59586ad8\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-40880e0c\" data-id=\"40880e0c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-76338749 elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"76338749\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/uhphawaii.org\/index.php\/news-all\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">&lt;&lt;   &nbsp;Return To News<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>November 2, 2018 &#8212; Meet Paij Nakamura, outreach coordinator at the Hawai&#8217;i Health &#038; Harm Reduction Center (H3RC). As a former addict, Paij is now helping others who are struggling with addictions. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":3128,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[41],"class_list":["post-3127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-department-of-internal-medicine"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/uhphawaii.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/IMG_6354-1.jpg?fit=640%2C432&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uhphawaii.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uhphawaii.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uhphawaii.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uhphawaii.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uhphawaii.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3127"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/uhphawaii.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3127\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12922,"href":"https:\/\/uhphawaii.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3127\/revisions\/12922"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uhphawaii.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uhphawaii.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uhphawaii.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uhphawaii.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}