MEDIA RELEASE

The state Department of Health (DOH) has received a $3.6 million Mental Health Transformation grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

This new grant brings mote than $730,000 each year for five years to provide enhanced mental health services with a focus on trauma-informed, recovery-oriented care for adults with severe mental illness.

“This grant will help provide advanced services and training that will enhance the quality of care for some of our most vulnerable people in Hawaii,” Health Director Dr. Chiyome Fukino said. “The award is another example of our continuing commitment to improve services and support recovery for those with severe and persistent mental illness by using evidence-based, proven treatments.”

The grant will fund training and service delivery for the department’s Adult Mental Health Division (AMHD) network of providers helping to integrate the use of trauma management skills into their current practices.

Providers will learn the neurological and psychological effects of stress and traumatic experiences and how to avoid or mitigate trauma and re-traumatization, particularly in forensic settings. This effort will also engage those who receive services in the planning and delivery of trauma-informed care.

Specifically, this grant will fund:
* Training and consultation to AMHD service providers and service recipients on trauma and trauma-informed care
* Widespread comprehensive trauma screening and assessments
* Trauma-specific recovery and crisis planning

In its first year, the grant will concentrate on preparing providers to screen for, assess and treat trauma. In the second year, qualified service recipients who are ready will have the opportunity to receive training to become providers of trauma-informed services or find supports toward other employment.

These new options will ease some of the challenges faced by both service providers and service recipients as they work on the road of recovery to independence.

This year’s grant follows SAMHSA’s 2006 award to Hawaii of a $10.95 million five-year Mental Health Transformation State Incentive Grant (MHT SIG). As a result of the 2006 grant, trauma was identified in a needs assessment as an important workforce and training area for Hawaii communities. Trauma-informed care projects were implemented in 2009 and 2010 in several community hospitals and a correctional facility.

Based on experience since 2006 under MHT SIG, and on efforts of AMHD, Hawaii pursued additional federal grant funds for services to consumers with severe mental illness who have been affected by trauma.

The effect of trauma in the lives of persons with severe mental illness has become more apparent in recent years and new evidence-based practices have emerged.

Hawaii is proud to be one of 22 states nationwide to be awarded funding to enhance our state’s capacity to provide quality care.