HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-04-24 Letter to Dept of Health and Human Services RE Going Home Hawaii's In-reach and Reintegration pg rv ofp..
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Harry Kim •
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Mayor z_-vs•r_ _
Barbara J.Kossow
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25 Aupuni Street,Suite 2603 • Hilo,Hawai`i 96720 • (808)961-8211 • Fax(808)961-6553
KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy.,Bldg.C • Kailua-Kona,Hawai`i 96740
(808)323-4444 • Fax(808)323-4440
April 24, 2017
Department of Health and Human Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
RE: FOA No. TI-17-009
To whom it may concern,
On behalf of the County of Hawaii, I extend our wholehearted support for Going Home Hawaii's
In-Reach and Reintegration (IRR) program's application for the above referenced FOA.
Going Home Hawaii's IRR program is designed to promote access to behavioral health treatment
and other recovery-oriented services for their participants who are homeless,justice-involved
adults (18 years of age or older) charged with nonviolent offenses,who have a substance use
disorder(SUD) or co-occurring mental and substance use disorder(COD), with a special focus
on Native Hawaiians. This population of focus represents our chronically homeless people.
Sadly,Native Hawaiians and part-Hawaiians make up approximately 27% of the general
population but almost 40%of the prison population and they are overrepresented at every stage
of the criminal justice system, according to the HCR 85 Task Force's report to the State
Legislature for the regular session of 2017. Native Hawaiians also make up 33%of our
homeless population.
The IRR program addresses a Hawaii County priority by: (1) Reducing the number of
chronically homeless,justice-involved individuals with SUDs or CODs on Hawaii Island; and
(2) Reducing the number of Native Hawaiian people who are homeless with SUDs or CODs and
enmeshed in our criminal justice system.
The inclusion of the IRR program to our county's overall reentry strategy will undoubtedly
strengthen our fight against recidivism here in Hawaii County and increase public safety for our
families and communities.
It is our sincere hope that Going Home's application meets your approval.
Sincerely,
VICt,Iff.„,
Harry Kim
MAYOR
County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.