Governor Josh Green, M.D., recently celebrated the arrival of units for Hawai‘i’s first medical respite kauhale, or village, on Oʻahu.

The 10-unit village is being constructed by nonprofit HomeAid Hawaii in the mauka-most section of the Department of Health parking lot, will be completely fenced and will have 24-hour private security.

A separate hygiene trailer, which will be available for all housed and unhoused community members in need of a hot shower or restroom use, is being provided by the nonprofit Project Vision Hawaiʻi (PVH), which will provide round-the-clock staffing at the kauhale for intake, supervision and care coordination. PVH will also provide registered nurses who will make daily rounds.

The medical respite facility will serve homelessness individuals just released from hospital inpatient beds, as well as people without homes who are discharged from the emergency room and have nowhere to go.

The medical respite kauhale is expected to receive its first residents before the end of May, followed by a Community Day when donated goods will be delivered, and Capitol District state employees will volunteer to assemble bed frames, move in furniture, and put the finishing touches on the units.

Photo credit: Office of Governor Josh Green