Kaiser Permanente Hawaii has awarded grants totaling $1,491,882 to two local nonprofit organizations and one public university to expand behavioral health services for the homeless on Hawaii Island and increase training and licensure for mental health professionals across the state.
HOPE Services Hawaiʻi, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa’s Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health will receive grants of $75,000, $1,176,882 and $350,000, respectively.
HOPE SERVICES HAWAII A $75,000 grant was awarded to a Clinical Behavioral Health Program aimed at expanding behavioral health care to people experiencing homelessness on Hawai‘i Island. The program aims to improve access to mental health and substance abuse services by reducing transportation barriers and increasing the availability of medical respite beds.
Funds will be used to acquire designated vehicles for patient transport, support facility improvements for the new medical respite bed facility, provide needed supplies and equipment, improve access, and enhance overall delivery of behavioral health services.
National Mental Health Council The $1,176,882 grant will be used to advance the Mental Health Workforce Acceleration Program, which aims to address the mental health professional workforce shortage in Hawai‘i, particularly in rural and underserved areas. The program will support pathways to licensed master’s-level mental health professionals through initiatives including hiring, scholarships, supervision and licensure assistance for pre-master’s and post-master’s associates placed in community provider settings.
The funding will also help facilitate the strategic planning necessary to ensure selection reflects an increasingly diverse population and to fill 100% of candidate placement slots to increase the number of patients served across the state.
University of Hawaii at Manoa, Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health $350,000 will be awarded to support clinical licensure for 20 individuals across Hawaii. The goal of the program is to increase the number of qualified mental health professionals available in the community while improving diversity, equity and inclusion in patient-facing mental health professions.
The program will focus on recruiting qualified candidates after completing their master’s degree and will partner with 10-20 social service agencies to hire, supervise and support these candidates until they achieve clinical certification. The grant will provide support services, tools and stipends aimed at removing barriers candidates may encounter on their path to certification.
“We are grateful to be able to work with our excellent local partners to extend our care beyond the walls of our clinics and hospitals and serve the mental health needs of Hawaii’s entire community,” said Ed Chang, president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plans & Hospitals for the Hawaii market. “It is also a priority for us to invest in programs that help grow the mental health provider workforce across the state.”
Kaiser Permanente is committed to improving the health outcomes of the communities it serves. These grants are the latest in a series of contributions from Kaiser Permanente Hawaii to help residents across the state receive critical support services that impact their overall health. In 2023, Kaiser Permanente has dedicated more than $3.1 million to improving health and wellness in Hawaii through community grants and scholarships.
