In 2004, the MHSRET Program in partnership with the Department of Health was awarded a 5-year federally funded SAMHSA grant to develop the infrastructure and capacity to better serve individuals with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders. The MHSRET Program was awarded $3,634,101 ($1,009,743 annually for the first three years [2004-2006], $504,872 for the fourth years and $100,000 for the fifth year) for this initiative. Lieutenant Governor James "Duke" Aiona serves as the Co-Chair for the COSIG Project Task Force (PTF), which is comprised of community stakeholders that meet quarterly to discuss the progress of the grant initiative. The PTF has created a common vision for an integrated system of care. Currently, the PTF is in the process of identifying the infrastructure resources needed to achieve this vision by assessing existing resources, identifying high priority gaps and barriers, and developing strategic action plans to address these gaps and barriers.
The COSIG grant is a collaborative effort between the DOH's AMHD and ADAD. The grant's Principal Investigator is Chiyome Fukino, M.D. (i.e., Director of the Department of Health) and the Project Director is Thomas W Hester, M.D. The DOH AMHD and the MHSRET Program are currently providing operational management and implementation of the program. The grant management staff currently includes the following individuals:
The grant provides funding to the DOH to implement a pilot service project consisting of a mobile team of interdisciplinary experts who provide consultation and training to both AMHD and ADAD state-operated and POS providers on the Windward side of O'ahu. The Mobile Team Project staff provide timely, integrated substance abuse and mental health expertise to build the capacity in each participating agency to better treat ICOPSD. The Mobile team staff includes:
For more information, visit the Co-Occurring Disorders State Incentive Grant (COSIG) Project.