Adult and Adolescent Mental Health & Substance Abuse Community Program Grants

The County of Kauaʻi's Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, through its initiative Life’s Choices Kauaʻi, is offering competitive grant funding to support local programs that address mental health and substance use challenges among both adolescents and adults. These grants, titled the Adult and Adolescent Mental Health & Substance Abuse Community Program Grants, are intended for projects taking place entirely within the County of Kauaʻi during the funding period of March 18, 2026 through March 17, 2027. The overarching goal is to expand access to behavioral health services and to support prevention and recovery efforts within the island community. The program is specifically designed to support initiatives that provide clinical mental health services, substance use disorder treatment, and prosocial youth and young adult development activities. Funded projects must offer certified counseling, evidence-based practices, and demonstrate collaboration with local partners to ensure a coordinated continuum of care. Required components for treatment-based programs include detoxification, comprehensive assessments, individualized treatment plans, therapeutic services, and continuing care. Programs addressing prevention and youth development must include structured programming with clear goals, culturally responsive practices, risk management protocols, and tracking of outcomes. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations that are based in Kauaʻi or operate a Kauaʻi-specific project with a fiscal sponsor based on the island. Organizations must be in good standing, comply with governance policies, and demonstrate readiness in terms of staff qualifications, training protocols, and project planning. Required documentation includes organizational bylaws, a history of relevant program experience, and confirmation or intent to comply with the Hawaii Compliance Express system. At least one staff member must be certified in First Aid and CPR, and clinical personnel must meet licensing requirements or submit credential exemption plans if applicable. The grant awards range from $25,000 to $1,000,000, with a total pool of $1,000,000 available. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. However, administrative costs are capped at 20% of the total project budget. Intra-state travel is also capped at 20% of the total budget. Funds must primarily be used for direct services and cannot support alcohol purchases, lobbying activities, organizational start-up costs, or out-of-state travel. Disbursement is milestone-based, with larger grants receiving phased payments contingent on fund expenditure and reporting compliance. Applications must be submitted by email no later than 4:00 PM Hawaii Standard Time on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. No fax or mail submissions will be accepted. Proposals will be reviewed in a four-phase process that includes screening, initial evaluation, community engagement, and final committee deliberations. Priority may be given to first-time applicants and proposals that address behavioral health disparities and support culturally competent services. Notifications of awards are expected by February 27, 2026, with agreements finalized by March 17, 2026. For inquiries, applicants may contact Diane DeHart, Life's Choices Kauaʻi Coordinator, at [email protected] or 808-241-4925. The grant program emphasizes recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, and equitable service delivery. It encourages data collection on performance metrics such as employment status, housing stability, criminal justice involvement, and youth engagement in prosocial activities. Successful applicants will be required to submit quarterly and final reports documenting both fiscal and programmatic outcomes.

Align with evidence-based practices, equity, and clearly articulate expected impacts and performance metrics.