Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke

The grant will help the Institute for Human Services to launch a homeless triage center 

HONOLULU — Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke supports the release of state Grant-in-Aid (GIA) funds to local organizations. The release of the GIAs was announced at a press conference held by Gov. Josh Green on Monday. Among the list of awardees, $1.6 million will be distributed to the Institute for Human Services (IHS) to launch a homeless triage center on Oʻahu. 

“The release of the state GIA funding will support non-profits and critical programs across Hawaiʻi in the areas of childcare, housing, health, and more. The Institute of Human Services is essential to helping our most vulnerable population, and the distribution of this funding will allow IHS the continuity in providing comprehensive support services in our community,” said Lt. Gov. Luke. 

The Institute for Human Services is a private non-profit agency focused on ending and preventing homelessness in Hawaiʻi. The GIA award will be used for ongoing homelessness prevention and service programs in addition to information system upgrades at their 16 sites, which includes 10 shelters.  

IHS Executive Director, Connie Mitchell said, “We humbly thank Gov. Josh Green and Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke and their administration for releasing the long-awaited state GIA funds. Among the many needs, these funds will address through multiple non-profit organizations, IHS will be able to open our 8-bed Homeless Triage Center, Imi ‘Ola Piha, where we will provide medically monitored detox, psychiatry, concurrent urgent care when needed and case management services under one roof. This program will meet a dire need to help chronically homeless persons on our streets and beaches with the first step in getting clean, sober and mentally stable and transferring them to continued treatment elsewhere.” 

# # # 

Media Contact:
Shari Nishijima
(808) 978-0867