The State of Hawai‘i Department of Health, Behavioral Health Administration, Child & Adolescent Mental Health Division (CAMHD) is part of the Hawai‘i CARES 988 team. It provides mental health services free of charge for eligible children and youth in Hawai‘i who have severe emotional and/or behavioral challenges. Services include assessment, case management, and an array of therapeutic supports provided in the home and community, or temporary out-of-home placements. We provide culturally-sensitive, child-and-family-centered services, and include the youth and family in all aspects of the service planning and treatment decisions.

What is a mental health crisis for a child or adolescent?

• Potential harm to self by suicide or other dangerous behaviors.
  • Examples: Serious drug use, risk of being sex trafficked, running away with known dangerous people, self-harming, suicide attempt.
• Potential harm to others.
  • Examples: Threatening or active attempts to kill or harm peers, family members, and community members.
• Active psychotic symptoms.
  • Examples: Hallucinating, extremely disoriented, incoherent speech.

What happens when a youth or someone helping a youth calls/texts/chats Hawai‘i CARES 988?

• Someone from the Hawai‘i CARES 988 call center will respond to your call/text/chat and get information about the crisis or other concerns.
• Hawai‘i CARES 988 will send the information to a Crisis Mobile Outreach team member. The Crisis Mobile Outreach team member will:
• Call the youth and/or support person to gather information;
• Go to the person in crisis for face-to-face support;
• Develop a safety plan with the youth and will provide crisis intervention to the youth and to those supporting the youth;
• Help to determine if the youth should to be taken to an emergency department to see if acute psychiatric hospitalization is needed.

If you have a number that is outside the (808) area code and wish to be connected with a Hawai‘i CARES 988 local crisis counselor, please use our direct number. (808-832-3100) or toll-free (800-753-6879).

What if a youth needs to go to the emergency department for evaluation?

• An emergency physician and sometimes a psychiatrist will determine if psychiatric hospitalization is needed.
• If acute care is needed, the youth will be transferred to an acute psychiatric care facility on O‘ahu for short-term treatment (usually 3-7 days).
• If hospitalization is not needed:
  • The youth may benefit from Therapeutic Crisis Home or Residential Crisis Stabilization Program on O‘ahu.
  • The youth may be able to return home with community support, such as a therapist already working with the youth.

If the youth does not need to go to the Emergency Department, but is still in crisis, the following resources may be available:

• Therapeutic Crisis Home
  • 3–7 day stay with a therapeutically trained family in a home setting.
  • NOT 24/7 one-to-one supervision.
  • Therapeutic intervention as needed.
  • Youth is NOT an imminent risk of harm to self or others (i.e., do not need acute care).

• Hiki Mai Ka La – Residential Crisis Stabilization Program.
  • 30-day program on Oahu with 24/7 supervision.
  • For stabilization and transition to different levels of care.
  • Individual and family therapy is provided throughout the stay.
  • Medication management is provided as needed

Other non-crisis services that the CAMHD provides to youth that qualify:

• Intensive Case Manage
• Intensive In-Home Therapy
• Adaptive Behavioral Intervention
• Intensive Independent Living Skills
• Function Family Therapy
• Multisystem Therapy
• Transitional Family Home
• Community-Based Residential Treatment
• Hospital-Based Residential Treatment

If you have a number that is outside the (808) area code and wish to be connected with a Hawai‘i CARES 988 local crisis counselor, please use our direct number. (808-832-3100) or toll-free (800-753-6879).