Hawaii Launches Disaster Case Management Program for Kona Low Storm Survivors

The Waimea Wastewater Treatment Plant discharged nearly 286,000 gallons into stormwater drainage during the March Kona low, one data point in a cascade of damage events that left Kauai households managing property losses, water outages, and flood repairs with little coordinated guidance. That changed April 3 when Governor Josh Green and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency announced the statewide launch of an interim Disaster Case Management Program, connecting survivors with trained case managers who build individualized recovery plans and make direct referrals to housing, food, medical and mental-health services, legal assistance, and documentation replacement.

The catch for Kauai: the initial rollout is prioritizing Oahu and Maui County, with island-specific services expected to begin soon. Households that wait passively risk the most common failure point in disaster recovery programs: arriving at intake with incomplete damage documentation, which can trigger eligibility reviews and delay aid by weeks.

The fastest way to get ahead of that problem is to file a damage report now with the Kauai Emergency Management Agency (KEMA) by calling 808-241-1800 or emailing KEMA@kauai.gov. One critical distinction residents frequently miss: a KEMA damage report is not an application for assistance. It signals verified losses to county and nonprofit partners and is the first credential trained case managers will ask for when local intake opens. Insurance claims for residential and personal property must be filed separately with your provider; the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Insurance Division can walk residents through that process at 844-808-3222.

Hawaii Emergency Management Agency selected Global Empowerment Mission as the lead nonprofit for the interim program, which will coordinate with community-based organizations on each island to place case managers locally. Funding comes from a mix of state, county, and philanthropic sources while federal disaster assessments continue. If a FEMA declaration unlocks additional federal programs, the interim DCMP is structured to hand off active cases without requiring survivors to restart intake, provided their documentation is complete.

Residents in need of immediate referrals while the Kauai rollout takes shape can dial 2-1-1, the Aloha United Way's statewide helpline connecting callers to more than 4,000 resources including food, housing, and transportation assistance. Watch kauai.gov and KEMA's official channels for intake window announcements and local case-management contact information.