News Releases from Department of Health

Beginning fall 2020, Hawaii keiki will be required to meet updated immunization requirements for school entry and attendance. Additional immunizations will be required for all students entering childcare or preschool, kindergarten, seventh grade, and post-secondary school, and for students entering school in Hawaiʻi for the first time. The primary audience for the Vax to School ...
Read More New Immunization Requirements for School Attendance

LĪHU‘E, KAUA‘I — The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, is making access to healthy food more convenient to ensure children have a healthy start in life. On Tuesday, Oct. 29, WIC will launch on Kaua‘i eWIC, an electronic benefits transfer card, which is used like a debit card and replaces ...
Read More Kaua‘i selected as pilot site for WIC transition from paper checks to electronic benefits transfer

Do you or someone you know need access to substance use disorder treatment?  The Hawai‘i Coordinated Access Referral Entry System, or Hawai‘i CARES, is the state’s new multiple entry-point and coordinating center for treatment and recovery support services. This new initiative includes a call and referral center and a universal intake process designed to improve ...
Read More DOH Launches One-Stop Call and Referral Center for People with Substance Use Disorder

There is a time for everything. A season for tearing down, and a season for building up. For Hawai‘i State Hospital, 2016 was a year of demolition. A pre-demolition blessing ceremony of the Goddard Building was held in February that year, and by December, the 70-year-old building had been leveled. Only a dirt part parcel ...
Read More Construction of Hawai‘i State Hospital’s new building ahead of schedule

HONOLULU — The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) will hold a public meeting to receive public comments on proposed changes to the existing state regulations for underground storage tank (UST) systems (Hawai‘i Administrative Rules, chapter 11-280.1). The meeting will be held at the DOH State Laboratory auditorium at 2725 Waimano Home Road in Pearl City ...
Read More Hawai‘i Department of Health to hold Dec. 2 public meeting to receive comments on proposed rule changes for underground storage tanks

HONOLULU —The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public meeting to receive comments on the U.S. Navy and Defense Logistics Agency’s proposed plan to upgrade the underground storage tanks at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. The meeting will be at Moanalua Middle School,1289 Mahiole ...
Read More Hawai‘i Department of Health and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to hold Nov. 19 public meeting to accept public comments on the U.S. Navy’s proposed Tank Upgrade and Release Detection for Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility

Hawai‘i Department of Health and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to accept public comments at Nov. 19 public meeting on the U.S. Navy’s proposed Tank Upgrade Alternative (TUA) and Release Detection for Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public ...
Read More Navy Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility Update

If you are taking prescription opioid or narcotic pain medication, you could be at risk for opioid dependence and not even know it. The Hawai‘i Opioid Initiative’s awareness campaign encourages adults to find out their risk for opioid dependence by answering a few easy questions at www.HawaiiOpioid.org. Advertisements are currently airing on Hawai‘i News Now ...
Read More Are You or A Loved One at Risk for Opioid Dependence?

The Communications Office is excited to announce a couple of new social media opportunities available to staff. We have officially launched a LinkedIn profile for the department as well as an internal Facebook Group for DOH staff. Why LinkedIn? The purpose of this profile is to better engage with Hawaii’s professional community, as many other ...
Read More Let’s Get Social: DOH Communications Office Launches New Social Media Opportunities for Staff

With the ongoing nationwide outbreak of lung injury associated with use the use of e-cigarette, or vaping products, the health department issued an advisory for the state warning the public to stop vaping. With more than 1,300 injury cases reported and 26 deaths confirmed, people should stop vaping until the cause of these lung illnesses ...
Read More DOH Warns Vaping Can Cause Lung Injury

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i State Department of Health’s (DOH) annual Stop Flu at School program began this week and will continue in 185 public schools statewide through Nov. 27, 2019. The voluntary program administers free flu shots to students in kindergarten through eighth grade who are enrolled at participating schools. Approximately 31,500 students are expected ...
Read More Annual Stop Flu at School vaccination clinics begin statewide

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) Sanitation Branch has issued a Notice of Violation and Order against Maggie Feng, dba Shaka Shaka Tea Express, located at 2600 S. King St. in Honolulu, with a penalty fine of $2,000 for unlawfully and intentionally removing a yellow “Conditional Pass” placard from their facility. The facility ...
Read More Hawai‘i Department of Health issues ,000 fine to Shaka Shaka Tea Express for removing yellow placard

HONOLULU — The U.S. Navy and the Defense Logistics Agency have announced they have completed their proposed plans to implement the best available, practicable technology to ensure the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Tank Storage Facility is operated and maintained in an environmentally protective manner. The Navy’s tank upgrade alternatives and release detection document is available ...
Read More Hawai‘i Department of Health and Environmental Protection Agency to hold public meeting on U.S. Navy’s proposed tank upgrade alternatives for Red Hill Bulk Fuel Tank Storage Facility in November

HONOLULU – The Disability and Communication Access Board (DCAB) is pleased to announce the selection of Kirby Shaw as its executive director. Shaw begins his appointment on Nov. 1, 2019 and succeeds Francine Wai, who is retiring after serving 41 years with DCAB and its predecessor agencies. The executive director implements programs and policy decisions, ...
Read More Disability and Communication Access Board appoints Kirby Shaw as executive director

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has received notification from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of a laboratory-confirmed case of angiostrongyliasis, or rat lungworm disease, in an adult visitor to Hawai‘i Island. With the additional case confirmed by CDC, this brings the statewide total to seven cases of individuals confirmed ...
Read More Seventh case of rat lungworm disease in 2019 confirmed in visitor to Hawai‘i Island

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i State Department of Health has issued a health advisory urging everyone to stop vaping, no matter the substance or source, until current nationwide investigations are complete. The advisory follows the state’s first reported case of lung illness related to the use of vaping products and national estimates of more than a ...
Read More Hawai‘i Department of Health issues public health advisory urging everyone to stop vaping

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) recently launched a statewide broadcast media campaign to educate parents about the new seventh grade attendance immunization requirements, which go into effect at all Hawai‘i schools beginning in school year 2020–2021. Through a partnership with the Hawai‘i Association of Broadcasters, television and radio public education announcements ...
Read More New Vax to School campaign encourages parents of sixth graders to schedule vaccination appointments now