The Hawaii Department of Health’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division has been awarded a nearly $12 million grant by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The funding will be used to enhance existing initiatives and introduce new strategies to improve mental health services for Hawaii’s youth, particularly during the current mental health crisis. This funding comes at a crucial time as the state grapples with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2023 Maui wildfires, and a shortage of behavioral health workers.
The grant, called Workforce Activities in Action: Building Capacity for CAMHD’s Youth Through Equity, aims to enhance workforce capacity, increase training in evidence-based practices, improve care coordination, elevate the voice of youth and caregiver peers with lived expertise, increase access to culturally appropriate supports, and strengthen system-level interagency collaboration. Through this grant, CAMHD hopes to create a more resilient and equitable system of care for Hawaii’s youth and their families.
CAMHD provides free mental health care to eligible youth with severe emotional and/or behavioral challenges, including assessment, case management, therapeutic supports, and temporary out-of-home treatment. The funding and initiatives introduced by the grant will help improve mental health services for Hawaii’s youth and address the disparities in mental health care that disproportionately affect minority and disadvantaged populations. This grant represents a significant step in strengthening mental health services across the state.
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