#Department of Human Services

The Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services announced the launch of a new Mandated Reporter Online Training Program, a comprehensive and accessible resource designed to ensure that individuals required by law to report suspected abuse or neglect, have the knowledge and tools necessary to carry out this critical responsibility.

The program was launched in November of 2023, following the devastating Maui wildfires, to ensure that survivors could access the resources and support needed on their paths to recovery. To date, the DCMP has helped more than 6,800 survivors access the help they need, connecting them with services worth more than $163 million.  

Federal housing assistance for Maui wildfire survivors has been extended through February 2027, providing relief to nearly 1,000 households that were facing an impending cutoff.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has extended its temporary housing and financial assistance to Feb. 28 for the approximately 1,500 people still receiving it.

Maui Economic Opportunity would like 2023 wildfire survivors to be aware that short- and long-term rental assistance for up to four months may be available through the Maui Relief TANF Program/Maui Relief Program for Wildfire Disaster Survivors.  

In 39 days, those types of gatherings will not be possible for the 1,475 individuals still in FEMA-funded housing on Maui if the deadline is not extended. In November, the state requested a 12-month extension to the current deadline.

The reach of the Maui Relief TANF Program, which assists residents directly impacted by the 2023 wildfires, has expanded to include households without dependent children and noncitizens following additional funding from the State of Hawaiʻi. The program run by Maui Economic Opportunity in partnership with the state Department of Human Services began operating in the […]

The Food and Nutrition Service notified states Friday that all November SNAP benefit allotments are suspended until sufficient federal funding is appropriated or the agency issues updated direction. 

Maui County Council members unanimously gave initial approval Tuesday to a measure that would establish paid parking zones at South Maui beach parks, a move to give residents first priority access to some of the island’s most popular beaches.

Since November 2023, the DCMP has worked to help survivors navigate their recovery by connecting them 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. To date, the DCMP has helped more than 6,600 survivors, providing more than 12,800 direct referrals to community resources and services worth more than $140 million.

The new law, which takes effect on Jan. 1, 2026, expands eligibility to include 2-year-olds and removes burdensome accreditation requirements for child care providers—reducing barriers and increasing child care capacity across Hawaiʻi.

The State of Hawaiʻi Department of Human Resources Development will deliver job opportunities through direct recruitment on Maui. The Maui State Office Building in Wailuku will host a special recruitment event on Thursday, July 10, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The state says the homes will be converted into a kauhale — a community of tiny homes with shared amenities — though the location has yet to be determined.

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke with the state’s Department of Human Services announced the Preschool Open Doors Priority Application Period for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year, which opens today, Feb. 18, 2025, and runs through April 30, 2025. Preschool Open Doors is assisting families to pay for preschool for the July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 […]

The Hawaiʻi Senate Committee on Health and Human Services deferred action today on a bill to improve health insurance coverage for women with an above-average risk for breast cancer. The committee rescheduled its hearing to 1 p.m. Jan. 29.

The Office of Resiliency and Recovery today announced that the deadline to complete applications for the Hawaiʻi Interim Housing Program (HIHP) for Maui residents displaced by the August 2023 Wildfires is Jan. 15, 2025. Households that have existing applications have until Jan. 15 to complete any remaining information for HIHP processing.

Hawai‘i joins 12 other states leading the way with expanded continuous Medicaid coverage for children, alongside Colorado, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah and Washington.

Maui residents displaced by the August 2023 wildfires have until Dec. 15 to submit new applications for the Hawaiʻi Interim Housing Program. Households with existing applications have until Jan. 15 to complete them.

New benefits, including funds for a new refrigerator, washer, stove and microwave, and increased assistance limits highlight the beginning of the second year of the Maui Relief TANF Program that supports those impacted by the Maui wildfires.

The state of Hawaiʻi has established an advisory body to develop and improve the state’s interaction with its lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus (LGBTQ+) citizens.