Department of Human Services

With grant support from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), the Hawaii Department of Human Services (DHS) has expanded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) access to Farmers’ Markets throughout the State. The $57,000 Farmers’ Market Equipment Grant provides funding for free Electronic Benefit Terminals (EBT) and technical assistance to market managers interested in acquiring new EBT point-of-sale devices.

MSNBC Host, Ronan Farrow talks to DHS Director Patricia McManaman, and youth advocate, Noy Worachit, about what some supporters say is a game-changer for the foster care system.

Families that care for children placed with the Department of Human Services (DHS) Child Welfare Service (CWS) Branch will receive a foster board pay increase, effective July 1, 2014. Called resource caregivers, families will receive their first increased payment in August.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) Med-QUEST Division (MQD) Enrollment Call Center is again open for business. As of 10:30 am Tuesday, July 16, six of eight call center lines are fully operational.

The phone line connecting callers to the Med-QUEST Division (MQD) Enrollment Call Center is currently experiencing difficulties.

On July 1, the Hawai‘i Department of Human Services (DHS) will launch Imua Kakou, its new young adult voluntary foster care program designed to help young adults transition to adulthood, independence and self-sufficiency.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) is quickly responding upon now learning that its mailing vendor, Cardinal Mailing Services, did not mail 4,582 Med-QUEST eligibility renewal packages in May. As a result of DHS’ immediate response, no individual will have an interruption to his or her health insurance coverage stemming from the mailing error.

The Department of Human Services (DHS), Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division (BESSD) has received a 2014 Global Case Management Award for Excellence in Social Services for its recently-deployed enterprise content management (ECM) and case management solution (CMS) that supports 22 distributed office locations across the islands. The Global Awards for Excellence in Case Management ...
Read More DHS Wins 2014 WfMC Global Award for Case Management

The Department of Human Services (DHS) wants to reassure beneficiaries who continue to meet financial and clinical eligibility criteria that they will continue to receive long-term care services regardless of the end date stated in a recently received notice. The DHS sent notices during the period of May 16- 30, 2014 to approximately 4,500 medical assistance beneficiaries who receive long-term care services in a facility, their own home, or a community-based setting. The notices were generated as a result of adding new long-term care functionality to the DHS eligibility system.

The 15 year-old youth who stowed away in the wheel well of a Hawaiian Airlines jet Sunday, April 20, 2014, is safe and no longer in Hawaii. The State of Hawaii Department of Human Services, Child Welfare Branch has no further involvement in this case.