Six Kaua‘i nonprofits awarded total of $1 million through Life’s Choices grant program

Six Kaua‘i nonprofit agencies will receive a portion of $1 million awarded Oct. 13 through the Kaua’i County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney Life’s Choices program mental health and substance abuse community program grants.

“Our Office is excited about working with the various nonprofit agencies serving vulnerable populations in our community,” said Kaua‘i County Prosecuting Attorney Rebecca Like. “I have no doubt that their collective projects will save lives, reduce recidivism and increase public safety.”

The following organizations were awarded:

Keala Foundation Prevention, Intervention and Aftercare Program for Adolescent Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Dedicated to serving the youth between the ages of 12 and 17 using substances, with a focus on those who are moderate to high-risk, this program aims to provide direct services to about 300 people each year. The goal of the intervention program is to divert one habit into another through a holistic approach to intervene early and prevent substance abuse among Kaua‘i’s youth.

Kaua‘i Region Recovery Services Inpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Telehealth and Therapist Service

When children or adolescents seek care for an acute mental health crisis, such as suicidal behavior, they often wait for many days in one of Kaua‘i’s emergency rooms to be transferred to an O’ahu facility that provides acute care. Awarded funds will be used to pay for a service at Queen’s Medical Center that will make a provider available 365 days a year for these patients. Funds will also be used to pay for a psychologist with expertise in child and adolescent mental health for in-person assessments and treatment at all the Kaua‘i emergency rooms for these patients awaiting transfer.

Kaua‘i Region Recovery Services Mental Health Warmline

A mental health warmline is a call-in, stop-in service that assists providers, families and patients who need mental health services to identify a mental health provider who is taking new patients, accepts the patient’s insurance and provides the service the patient is seeking.

Kaua‘i Region Recovery Services RECOVER (ReEntry Coordination and Outreach Valued in Eliminating Recidivism)

This program aims to reduce the rate of recidivism and substance use disorder relapse for people at Kaua‘i Community Correctional Center. It will improve substance use disorder treatment starting prior to release by identifying those with substance abuse disorders, increase staff to reduce delays in beginning treatment after release, partner with the Adult Mental Health Division to eliminate delays in serious mental illness treatment after release and address the known barriers to participating in treatment after release.

YWCA of Kaua‘i

This award will support clinical services dedicated to adult/adolescent victims of domestic violence or people in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer plus community. These populations face significant risk of further victimization and repeated trauma. The primary objectives are to enhance service accessibility, reduce the stigma associated with seeking help and deliver culturally sensitive care. The goal is to reduce substance use/abuse, increase the well-being of the Kaua‘i community and reduce crime.

Kaulu I Ka Pono Academy (KIPA)

KIPA is a residential treatment and educational facility for youth suffering from substance abuse and/or dependency. It is equipped with 16 beds and designed to eliminate the need to send Kaua‘i teens off-island for treatment services. Awarded funds will be used to assist KIPA in expanding currently available services.