Healthcare Service Expansion
The Maui Wildfire Exposure Study
“As we have chronic shortages of every type of healthcare worker and service the county should look at encouraging health care training and services on Maui as an intelligent way to diversify our economy.”
Community Quote from Long-Term Planning Recovery Survey
Project Description
This project consists of performing a Health Service, Behavioral Health Service and Social Service Gap Analysis and addressing those identified gaps. Maui has faced shortages in healthcare service providers for specialties such as obstetrics, gynecology and pediatrics. This project will identify programs, partners and solutions to increase access to specialized health services.
The gap analysis will build off the ongoing Childcare and Behavioral Health Services Gap Analysis being performed by the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College, whose purpose is to conduct a succinct gap analysis of childcare and behavioral health services for f ire-impacted individuals as part of Hulihia’s Lahaina Revitalization Project. Their analysis aims to identify existing services, assess their adequacy and determine areas of need to inform strategic planning and resource allocation. It will assess the current landscape of childcare and behavioral health services available to fire-impacted individuals in the Lahaina area, identify gaps and deficiencies in existing services based on community needs assessments and provide quantifiable data to Hulihia to be mapped using data visualization tools. Once gaps are identified, this project will work to address them
Purpose
This project will identify areas of shortage in health services exacerbated by the fires in order to be able to expand them down the line and combine cultural understanding with mental health resources. The University of Hawaiʻi analysis identifies a scope of childcare and behavioral health services, so additional analysis must be done on primary health services and social services, including but not limited to:
- Outpatient Ambulatory Care Centers
- Outpatient Health Clinics
- Skilled Nursing Facilities
- Long-Term Care Units
- Dialysis
- Older Adult Assisted Living Facilities
- Older Adult Memory Care Units
- Older Adult Home Health Care Agencies
- and Specialty Care on island.
The Maui Wildfire Exposure Study
Interdependencies and Roadblocks
This project is dependent on the findings of the gap analysis conducted by Hulihiaʻs Center for Sustainable Systems, University of Hawaiʻi Maui College, and the outcome of the work built off of that gap analysis. There is currently no owner identified for the comprehensive gap services analysis.
Next Steps
- Gaps and duplications in system wide service availability, contributing factors, needed program expansions, and next steps for addressing gaps need to be identified.
- There needs to be coordination with and determination of the scope of analysis proposed by the University of Hawaiʻi.
- If the scope is focused on health, an alternate mechanism to identify gaps and duplication in social services may need to be implemented.
- Once the gap analysis has been completed, options and stakeholders involved to pursue service expansion should be identified.
- University program development should be explored and relations between university and industry bolstered.
Project Details
Cost Estimate:
$TBD
Existing Funding Sources:
Project Lead:
- State Department of Health
- University of Hawaiʻi
Potential Funding Sources:
- Behavioral Health Service Expansion (BHSE)
- Community Grant – Ola Ke Kanaka – Physical, Spiritual, Mental & Emotional Health
Project Partners:
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Economic Development Administration
- County of Maui
Alignment with West Maui Community Plan (WMCP)
- Goal 2.5 Safe, healthy, livable communities for all