FEMA awards additional $7.9M in Disaster Case Management funding to expand recovery support for Maui wildfire survivors 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded an additional $7.9 million in funding to the Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services to expand the state’s Disaster Case Management Program. This additional funding will enable the program to expand its current reach by more than double, capable of serving approximately 3,000 households. 

The DCMP connects survivors of disasters with specially trained disaster case managers (DCMs) to help assess and address their needs through a disaster recovery plan, which includes resources, decision-making priorities, providing guidance and tools. The DCMs act as a ‘quarterback’ to help survivors navigate their recovery and will continue to assist survivors for up to five years.

The program has created two branches to best serve survivors: a first-of-its-kind Screening, Eligibility and Outreach Care Navigator Branch which connects with survivors, determines eligibility for the program and enrolls them; and the DCM branch, which includes the DCMs and corresponding supports. The two branches work together to immediately provide survivors with support in navigating their recovery, either with an Outreach Care Navigator or a DCM. This unique framework provides a trauma-informed continuum of care for survivors navigating their recovery.

The DCMP has helped more than 3,800 individuals on Maui. It currently provides crucial services to nearly 1,400 survivor households. This supplemental funding will enable DHS to expand the DCMP’s reach by more than double, adding 20 additional DCMs and 20 additional Outreach Care Navigators, increasing the number of households that the program will be able to help by roughly 1,700— for a total program capacity of approximately 3,000 households. 

“DHS is proud of the work being done each day by the DCMP team and that our efforts are being recognized by FEMA. This supplemental funding will help us continue to provide essential services and supports to survivors — and ensure that we can keep innovating and keep working to find new ways to support our community overall,” said DHS Deputy Director Trista Speer. “We are grateful to everyone involved, especially Governor Green for his leadership and FEMA for continuing to invest in Maui’s recovery.”

Survivors interested in the DCMP should contact 211. A DCMP team member will conduct an intake discussion and immediately enroll eligible survivors in the program.