Friday, May 9, 2025
5/9/2025
Hawaii Disaster Response State (DRS) Project. - Hawaii Disaster Response State Grant Program (HI-DRS) - A Statewide Response for School-Aged Youth (K-12) and Adults Impacted by Natural Disasters with Behavioral Health Signs & Symptoms. The Hawaii Coordinated Access Resource Entry System (CARES) Line is a hub-and-spoke statewide initiative that is being expanded to function as a "one stop shop" for a continuum of care (COC) with services for substance use, mental health and crisis line services in Hawaii. Hawaii CARES is responsible for the following: (1) Collect real-time data on utilization of substance use disorder treatment and recovery services for all ASAM-aligned levels of care to maintain and facilitate client flow through the COC; (2) Monitor the effectiveness of the screening and referral process; (3) Authorize client services utilization; (4) Review all referrals for services; (5) Review requests for extension of services; and (6) Conduct continuous quality improvement of services delivered by its health provider network. Hawaii CARES also has at its hub (1) a gateway call center that assures universal intake of clients in order to create a client record in an electronic health record; (2) and authorizing agent for screening, intake, care coordination, and referral to in-network and out-of-network behavioral health, crisis mobile outreach and primary care providers; and (3) a system quality assurance agent that monitors operational effectiveness. Hawaii DRS Project activities seek to expand and promote Hawaii CARES as a natural disaster response source to serve up to 400 clients impacted by substance use, and over 400 adult and young consumer who require evidence-based developmentally appropriate mental health and/or crisis mobile outreach services. The Project aims to improve statewide coverage to youth who require mental health services by expanding crisis mobile outreach workforce in coordination with family guidance centers statewide. To expedite service delivery to affected population, existing direct service behavioral health provider contracts will be utilized. The Project will also implement targeted media campaigns and convene a speaker bureau to design training content and up to 40 online workshops to raise awareness and train providers, community coalitions, interested HI Department of Education staff and school communities on behavioral health impacts of disasters.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).