The Kailana program is for males ages 14 thru 18 adolescents needing comprehensive treatment and education, including mental health services in a highly structured, staff-secure, residential program but who do not need to be hospitalized or incarcerated. Kailana is unique in its ocean-experiential approach to serving youth with moderate to severe emotional and behavioral problems and specializes with conduct disorders and those dually diagnosed with chemical dependency.

The program was founded in 1993. Matthew Claybaugh, Ph.D. is the President & CEO and Dane Z.Y. Ganes is the Admissions Director for the program. Kailana program staff and counseling treatment members include a child and adolescent psychiatrist, a clinical psychologist, social workers, CSAC certified counselors, teachers (including a certified special education teacher), nursing staff, youth counselors, and a ship's crew of licensed marine professionals and experiential facilitators. Council of Accreditation accredits the program and the State of Hawaii Alcohol Drug Abuse Division, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division, and Office of Health Care Assurance licenses the program.

Students attend school daily and follow an intensive Individual Education Plan tailored to their specific needs and circumstances. Land-based activities include growing crops and raising fish on the program's farm, to hiking, camping, ropes courses, and community service projects. Through the ocean-based component, youth progress from basic water safety skills to outrigger canoe paddling and small boat sailing. Youth then sail on five-day interisland open ocean voyages, planning and crewing three to four voyages before graduation/discharge aboard Marimed's tall-ship.

[This information came from the Kailana website]