Maui Receives More Than $17 Million Funding For Mental Health Support
On October 4, Senator Brian Schatz announced that the Suicide Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded $17.3 million in funding to the Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) to address the mental health toll affecting the residents of Lahaina, Maui after the fires.
As a result of the August 8 fires, more than 7,000 people were displaced and at least 98 people lost their lives.
“The people of Maui have experienced so much loss, trauma, and grief, and addressing the mental health toll is just as important as dealing with the physical damage,” said Schatz.
“This new funding will provide necessary resources to help those who need it in a timely and culturally-informed way.”
According to Civil Beat, DOH expects that the behavioral impact of the Maui wildfires will be significant and long-lasting and that behavioral health will continue as the community grieves.
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