Seven months after the Maui wildfires, the recovery continues. While much of the focus has been on replacing tangible losses — homes, businesses, schools and jobs — we must also prioritize recovery from the disaster’s significant and long-lasting impact on mental health.
In the days and weeks following the fires, health care providers from across the state and county focused on the immediate needs of individuals reeling from sudden loss: access to counseling, support for trauma processing, activities meant to recreate community and hope, and other services that focused on simple survival.
Now, individuals and families face longer-term challenges. We have learned from similar events that disaster-related post-traumatic stress, depression, sleep problems and other psychological distress can increase six months after a disaster. According to SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), studies have shown PTSD rates of 20% to 34%, and major depression rates of 14% to 28% six months post-disaster.
A needs-assessment survey conducted in October by the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) found that Lahaina residents reported increasing anxiety, stress and impaired sleep, resulting in a decline in physical health.
It’s also important to remember that the fires have affected not just individuals, but the very fabric of the Lahaina community. Research shows that bringing people together and increasing support from family, friends and professionals can contribute to better mental health outcomes overall.
Access to resources supports recovery and can enhance protective factors such as “perceived social support, social embeddedness, gratitude, religiosity and belief in one’s ability to cope,” SAMHSA says.
People experience traumatic events differently, and there is no right or wrong way to feel. They must understand that it’s OK to not be OK. Some people bounce back quickly whereas for others, it may take a longer time to recover.
Things you can do to help your own recovery include staying connected with others, engaging with community, reaching out to others, having hope and finding ways to keep calm. Indeed, the people of Lahaina and Maui demonstrated incredible resiliency and mutual support in the immediate aftermath of the devastation.
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But as time passes, and the emotional burden becomes overwhelming, ready access to professional help is often necessary — creating places where people can find solace and safety, increasing access to individual and group therapy, and bringing people together to provide peer support. Even the most resilient, including those who support others, sometimes need help, too.
DOH, with support from federal, state, county and nonprofit partners, is working with experienced providers to reduce barriers to comprehensive long-term care:
Malu i Ka ‘Ulu: The Hawaii Resiliency Project: Crisis counseling and peer support across Maui, Lanai and Molokai, provided by Ho‘aka Mana and CARE Hawaii and funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and SAMHSA. Pacific Counseling Group is also providing crisis counseling and peer support services.
Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic: Comprehensive outpatient, person-centered and trauma-informed care for adults and children, from DOH.
SAMHSA Emergency Response Grant (SERG): Services include traditional therapy, cultural-based healing and training to empower survivors to become peer leaders. Eighteen Hawaii providers led by DOH and Papa Ola Lokahi, in partnership with providers such as Roots Reborn and Maui Family Support Services. Funded by SAMHSA.
Resiliency Center: A hub of care and community building, offering a continuum of culturally appropriate services, ranging from prevention to acute crisis response and intervention. DOH and Maui County, funded by the SERG grant and community partners.
Hawaii CARES Crisis Line: Available 24/7 by calling 808-832-3100 or 1-800-753-6879, or calling or texting 988.
Maui Warm Line: Local call center providing support and resource linkages for those affected by the Maui fires. Available Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. by calling 808-446-6676.
These programs are designed to create a comprehensive network of mental health support, rooted in the philosophy of community leadership by ensuring that services provided are culturally sensitive, relevant and tailored to the specific needs and preferences of Lahaina’s people.
Together, we will ensure that mental health services are available to support recovery, create connections, provide hope and rebuild the Lahaina community — for as long as it takes.
Dr. Courtenay Matsu, a psychiatrist, is the medical director and acting administrator of the Adult Mental Health Division, Hawaiʻi Department of Health.
