4374 Kukui Grove St., Ste. 104
Lihue, HI 96766
Honolulu, HI 96814
Available statewide
About McKenna Recovery Center: A Private Addiction Treatment Practice Serving Kauai, Hilo, and Honolulu Since 1989
Welcome to The McKenna Recovery Center. We are a private, comprehensive addiction treatment practice with programs established in Lihue, Hilo, and Honolulu. Our primary mission is returning the individual who struggles with addiction to health.
“Returning the patient to health on ke ala pono: the right path for recovery.”
Dr. Gerald McKenna founded Ke Ala Pono Kauai in 1989, followed by Ke Ala Pono Hilo in 1999 and the Honolulu Professionals Program in 2004. That makes more than 35 years of specialized addiction treatment in the Hawaiian islands. Our credentialed team assesses and treats substance use disorders and co-occurring psychiatric disorders in each individual patient.
How Our Three Hawaii Addiction Treatment Programs Were Established and Who They Serve
| Program | Island | Established |
|---|---|---|
| Ke Ala Pono Kauai | Kauai, in Lihue | 1989 |
| Ke Ala Pono Hilo | Hawaii Island | 1999 |
| Honolulu Professionals Program | Oahu, in Honolulu | 2004 |
Ke Ala Pono opened in Lihue as the first intensive outpatient addiction treatment clinic on Kauai. The Honolulu program was built around licensed professionals and working adults whose careers depend on confidential, credible care.
Our Philosophy: Chemical Dependency Is a Treatable Medical Illness, Not a Character Flaw
Chemical dependency has defined diagnostic criteria and established treatments, like any other medical condition we manage.
We do not assign blame to someone who has developed an addictive or psychiatric disorder, and we do not assign it to their family either.
Our programs are built so patients and their loved ones can focus on recovery rather than on defending themselves.
Patients stay involved, informed, and comforted throughout their time with us, at every step on the path to recovery.
The Physician Who Founded Our Kauai Recovery Center and the Credentials Behind the Practice
Board certified in psychiatry and addiction medicine, with more than four decades in practice. Before Hawaii, he served on the faculty at Harvard Medical School, working within affiliated institutions including the Massachusetts Mental Health Center and the Cambridge Hospital. He later joined the faculty at UCLA and served as Chief of Psychiatry at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Brentwood, Los Angeles.
He has taught at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine and has hosted medical students, physician assistant students, psychiatric residents, and addiction fellows in the Kauai office. Dr. McKenna has spoken publicly about his own long-term recovery from alcoholism.
He does not work alone. The practice operates as a multidisciplinary team that has included therapists, licensed clinical social workers with psychology training, and counselors experienced with adolescents and school systems. Treatment planning is a team discussion rather than one clinician’s opinion.
What Our Credentialed Team Assesses and Treats Across Kauai, Hilo, and Honolulu
| Area of care | What this includes |
|---|---|
| Substance use disorders | Alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines, stimulants, and nicotine dependence |
| Co-occurring disorders | Depression, anxiety, trauma histories, and other psychiatric symptoms treated in the same clinic |
| Medication-assisted treatment | Prescribed after physician evaluation where clinically appropriate |
| Family involvement | Relatives included in evaluation and treatment with the patient’s consent |
More Than Three Decades of Addiction Treatment Experience in the Hawaiian Islands
Anyone choosing a treatment provider is entitled to verify credentials independently. Physician licensure and board certification can be checked through the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and the relevant certifying boards, and facility licensing information is maintained by the Hawaii State Department of Health. We encourage that scrutiny.
In a medical emergency, call 911. For mental health or suicidal crisis support, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available by call or text, 24 hours a day. Information on this page is general and educational, and is not a substitute for individual evaluation by a qualified clinician.
Ke Ala Pono · 4374 Kukui Grove St., Ste. 104, Lihue, HI 96766 | Honolulu Professionals Program, Honolulu, HI 96814 | Telephone 808.246.0663 | Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m.