$1.5 M Infused into HealthCARES Hui Resiliency Initiative to Create New Jobs and Expand Services

Hale Makua CEO, Wesley Lo.  Photo credit: file courtesy County of Maui.

A new countywide collaboration with various organizations aims to create healthcare jobs and expand services for kupūna and families.

The new HealthCARES Hui is the first initiative that has emerged from Mayor Victorino’s Economic Recovery Task Force.

Administered by Hale Makua, the effort is in collaboration with Hui No Ke Ola Pono, Mālama I Ke Ola Health Center, Habitat for Humanity, Hale Mahaolu, Kula Hospital, East Maui Kupūna Hui and Maui Medical Group.

The body is comprised of industry leaders to help identify opportunities for relief through CARES Act funds.

The County is allocating roughly $1.5 million for the program, which will be spent on hiring and training staff, expanded nutritious food delivery and providing resources and care management.

The program also will assist nurses and healthcare workers in earning certifications and licenses to allow them to begin working at local medical providers.

“COVID-19 has rocked Maui County’s economy to its core and left us among the highest unemployment rates in the state,” Mayor Victorino said. “Through this new collaboration, we plan to create approximately 50 full-time positions for certified nurses, community health workers and other jobs for our displaced workers and school graduates. The partnership also focuses on taking care of our kupūna, who are extremely vulnerable to this virus and are still in need of services.”

“We want to mahalo the HealthCARES Hui organizations and all our partners for their work to plan and prepare this program for our community.”

The HealthCARES Hui has three primary goals:

1. Create job opportunities for recent high school grads and displaced workers to start a healthcare career to earn a living wage.
2. Expand food delivery options with local, nutritious, prepped meal delivery to high-risk families and kupūna.
3. Adapt the care management model by expanding home health services, personal care programs and home improvements.More information on the job opportunities will be posted as it becomes available.Along with meal delivery, other care management resources will be provided including health assessments, critical home repairs, unemployment services, COVID-19 prevention and other assistance.

“On behalf of this hui of Maui organizations, we want to thank Mayor Victorino, his staff and the community volunteers who have been working around the clock to support all of us during this difficult time,” said Hale Makua CEO, Wesley Lo.  “We are hopeful that as we come together to care for each other, the health and well-being of our Maui community will be rebuilt and will emerge stronger than ever.”

Meal delivery service expansion will focus on kupuna in Hawaiian Homes and families and kupuna in affordable housing developments who may not be able to attend grab & go food pick-up locations. Meal prep will be done by local chefs/restaurants and include Maui ingredients and produce.

The full-time positions to be created include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Community Health Workers (CHW), and positions in housekeeping, dietary, nutrition, social work and resident aides. Workers would be trained and hired by agencies in the HealthCARES Hui.