DOH Team Rises to the Challenges of the Ongoing Kilauea Eruption - Hawaii State Department of Health
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June/July 2018
The mission of the Department of Health is to protect and improve the health and environment
for all people in Hawaii. We believe that an optimal state of physical, mental, social and
environmental well-being is a right and responsibility of all of Hawaii’s people.
DOH Team Rises to the Challenges
of the Ongoing Kilauea Eruption
Spectacular geological displays of
bright red lava flowing from the
Kilauea volcano and oozing from
fissures in the ground, and billowing
clouds of ash and volcanic smog
are capturing the attention of those
around the globe.
But there has been an equally as
remarkable display by the people
involved in the response effort that
has been largely unnoticed. Hawaii
Department of Health personnel
have been working virtually non-
stop for a month to respond to the
effects of the volcano, rising to the
challenge to protect the health
and well-being of emergency
responders and residents in the Bringing Out Our Best Residents have had to endure the
Kilauea East Rift Zone. pain of watching their homes —
Adversity can bring out the best once their safe, secure refuge —
in people. This is evident in the come under siege by unpredictable
The Department of Health’s Hawaii
teamwork among those responding lava flows. They have been buffeted
District Office jumped into the fray
to the ongoing eruption. DOH team by a constant barrage of threats to
without any hesitation when the
members have been integrated in their physical well-being and their
volcano erupted on May 3. They
the emergency operations and have idyllic lifestyles. The only thing
took immediate action and other
been instrumental in instilling a certain for them is uncertainty.
DOH personnel and those from
sense of calm to those whose lives They may cling to their special
other federal and state agencies
have been turned upside.
joined them for a collaborative,
multi-agency response. (continued on page 2
Ola Lokahi Hawaii State Department of Health June/July 2018 . 2
Robust Teamwork to Kilauea Eruption
(continued from page 1)
memories, but have had to let go
of their dreams for now and focus
on getting through each hour, each
day.
We should be rightfully proud of
the DOH team which has been
immersed in the response activities
on Hawaii island as well as in
Honolulu. Here are some highlights:
• The Hawaii District Health Office
(HDHO), led by Aaron Ueno, is
playing a major role in
coordinating and mobilizing
inter-departmental resources to
address various public health DOH team installing air quality monitoring stations.
concerns related to the Kilauea
data to make informed decisions has been invaluable to the
volcano eruption, including air
on how to respond to the Department’s response. Staff
quality concerns and mental
ongoing volcanic acvitity. have also served in ESF-8 as
health issues. The HDHO will
Departmental liaison between
continue efforts to guide and
• The Safe Drinking Water State Civil Defense, federal
advise the affected communities Branch updated precautionary agencies and the Department of
in addressing both the short- measures to protect residents Health to identify and respond
term concerns as well as long- who have water catchment to public health and medical
term public health impacts. The systems and live downwind of needs of the community and to
HDHO staff have made their volcanic activity. mobilize appropriate resources.
expertise available 24/7 to assist Epidemiology staff are also
the county with the response • Emergency Medical Services and tracking utilization of EMS
and planning for ongoing and Injury Prevention System Branch services to monitor any changes
emerging public health and Chief Dr. Alvin Bronstein has due to the event.
environmental issues. been deployed to Hawaii Island
to consult with the Mayor, • The Communicable Disease and
• With the vog (volcanic smog), the Emergency Operations Public Health Nursing Division
sulfur dioxide and hydrogen Center and the Hawaii District has also been involved. Our
sulfide gases, air quality Health Office on potentially public health nurses have been
monitoring has been a priority hazardous gases and ash and to an integral member of the
for our Clean Air Branch, provide public information and Department’s Public Health
the Hazard Evaluation and education on protection from Assessment Team (PHAST). The
Emergency Response Office, and exposure. team has been indispensable in
the State Laboratories Division providing front line
to ensure responders and the As a physician and toxicologist,
public have access to real-time Dr. Bronstein’s expertise (continued on page 3)
Ola Lokahi Hawaii State Department of Health June/July 2018 . 3
Robust Teamwork for Kilauea Eruption
(continued from page 2) to the care and attention they compiling materials for federal
need. Dr. Bill Sheehan has been reimbursement. This is a huge
information on shelter needs backing up the ESF 8 effort at additional workload for them
to the Department’s Operation the state Emergency Operations as they also close out the fiscal
Center. The team provides Center. year.
real-time information on public
health, epidemiology, behavioral • The Disease Outbreak Control • Under the direction of
health and environmental Division is conducting enhanced Judy Kern, the Office of Public
health. Public health nursing community surveillance for Health Preparedness (PHP)
has also been integral to respiratory-related issues in has been leading ongoing
getting information out to medical facilities and shelters. coordination efforts for DOH
the community and linking The data provides a general response under Emergency
community members to needed picture of the potential burden Support Functions 8 &10.
resources. on clinics and emergency PHP implemented a partial
departments from respiratory Department Operations Center
• Dr. Paul Beighley, Medical complaints. The Division is also (DOC), conducts DOH
Director of the Adult Mental conducting active surveillance coordination meetings and
Health Division on Hawaii island, of emergency responders to briefings, compiles
and his team have been involved track exposure to potentially and disseminates situation
in response since the earthquake hazardous gases and ash. reports, facilitates multi-sector
and tremors were felt the day information sharing, provides
before the Kilaeua eruption on • The Administrative Services communications surge capacity,
May 3. He has been Office has been handling and works with Hawaii District
collaborating with the American travel requests and financial Health Office to manage Medical
Red Cross to ensure mental paperwork from all DOH staff
health counseling is available for involved in the response, as well
those who have been displaced as coordinating funding and (continued on page 5)
from their homes and are living
in shelters, while also taking care
of individuals with severe mental
illness, who remain the priorities
of the Adult Mental Health
Division and Child and
Adolescent Mental Health
Division.
• Rachelle Agrigado, MSW,
Mental Health Supervisor with
the Hawaii Department of
Health’s Hawaii Family Guidance
Center, deserves recognition for
her steadfast presence at the
shelters and in the information
center. She has been working
overtime, including evenings, to
ensure families have access
Ola Lokahi Hawaii State Department of Health June/July 2018 . 4
Two Outstanding Employees from Alcohol and
Drug Abuse Division Receive National Accolades
Two Department of Health
employees in our Alcohol and Drug
Abuse Division made Hawaii proud.
Eddie Mersereau, LCSW, CSAC,
Administrator of Alcohol and Drug
Abuse Division (ADAD), and Jared
Yurow, Psy.D., Clinical Psychologist
Supervisor in the same division,
were recently honored with awards
for their outstanding contributions
and service to the National
Association of State Alcohol and
Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD).
They were both recognized at
NASADAD’s 2018 annual meeting,
Eddie Mersereau, LCSW, CSAC Jared Yurow, Psy.D.
which was held in collaboration
with the Center for Substance
Abuse Treatment and the Center for and informational organization Eddie also enthusiastically
Substance Abuse Prevention in the that serves state drug agency participates in association activities.
Hyatt Regency in Bethesda, directors and state alcoholism He has served as a member of
Maryland, from May 21 to 24. agency directors. NASADAD’s basic the public policy committee and
purpose is to foster and support the actively supports fellow single state
“The Hawaii Department of Health development of effective alcohol agency directors in NASADAD’s
is fortunate to have great people on and other drug abuse prevention Region IX, which includes American
our team who actively participate and treatment programs throughout Samoa, Arizona, California, Guam,
in professional associations that every state. Hawaii, Nevada, and the Republic
promote best practices and high of Palau. Eddie freely shares
standards of care,” said Lynn Fallin, A Well-Deserved Service Award specific information on Hawaii with
Deputy Director of Behavioral for Eddie Mersereau NASADAD, which in turn helps the
Health. “The evolving field of Eddie, who has been with ADAD for other association members remain
substance use disorder prevention, just two and half years, has quickly informed about trends in Hawaii.
treatment and recovery requires shown his expertise and spirit of
continuous learning. Eddie and aloha. He received a NASADAD He also served as a panelist at
Jared have been able to learn from Service Award for going above the 2018 conference. Eddie co-
others and share their experiences and beyond the call of service. He presented a session titled, “Hawaii
with their counterparts in other serves on the board of directors - Rethinking Our System of Care”
areas of the country. Ultimately, all and participated in each meeting with Beth Rutkowski, MPH,
of their volunteer work benefits the via conference call, even though Associate Director of Training &
residents we serve in Hawaii.” that required him to be up at 4 am Epidemiologist, UCLA Integrated
to participate with his mainland Substance Abuse Programs and
NASADAD is a private, not-for- colleagues.
profit educational, scientific, (continued on page 5)
Ola Lokahi Hawaii State Department of Health June/July 2018 . 5
Robust Teamwork for Kilauea Eruption
(continued from page 3)
Reserve Corps volunteer efforts.
• The DOH Communications
Office has deployed staff to
work at the Hawaii Island Joint
Information Center to assist in
drafting daily messages for the
mayor, writing press materials,
vetting facts, coordinating news
media interviews, posting social
media messages, and
responding to public questions
during 12-hour shifts. The office
continues to manage local and
national media inquiries related
Making Hawaii Proud
to statewide health issues.
Mahalo to all for contributing your
expertise to help those in need on
Hawaii Island. We are glad you are (continued from page 4) committees, presentations, work
part of the DOH team. groups and conference calls. He
and Co-Director, Pacific Southwest continues to educate his mainland
Addiction Technology Transfer counterparts on Hawaii’s efforts
Center (HHS Region 9) with the to collect performance data,
Substance Abuse and Mental Health promote cultural competence and
Services Administration in the U.S. the importance of sustaining the
Department of Health and Human substance use disorder system.
Services.
Joyce Starr, the National Treatment
Jared Yurow Wins Another Network (NTN) President, said Jared
NASADAD Award in Three Years has “dedicated his time and energy
This was Jared’s second NASADAD for many years to the NTN and now
award. In 2015, he received the treatment centers. He always has
NASADAD Opioid Treatment been the first to volunteer his time,
Network State Representative ideas, and has been dedicated to our
of the Year Award, and this year, organization and its success over
was awarded the NASADAD the years. He is a positive leader and
National Treatment Network State his knowledge and understanding
Representative of the Year Award. of our field and the challenges we
face makes him a great resource. His
Despite being in the middle of the kindness is what touches my heart
Pacific, his NASADAD colleagues the most. To have had the ability to
think he an indispensable member know him all these years makes me
of the team. He is a tireless advocate a better person.”
for people in recovery, devoted to
the field and has always volunteered Congratulations and mahalo to
his expertise on numerous Eddie and Jared!
Ola Lokahi Hawaii State Department of Health June/July 2018 . 6
NASTAD’s 2018 Lifetime Achievement
Award Goes to Branch Chief Peter Whiticar
Peter Whiticar, Chief of the Hawaii Peter has educated
Department of Health’s Harm colleagues and federal
Reduction Services Branch, was funders about the
recently presented with the 2018 importance of investing
Lifetime Achievement Award from in core public health
the National Alliance of State and infrastructure in low
Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD). incidence states.
He received this well-deserved
He is one of the original
award at NASTAD’s annual
founding members of
conference in Washington, D.C.,
NASTAD, continues to serve
in May.
on its board of directors,
and is an advocate for other
NASTAD’s Lifetime Achievement
states.
Award is presented annually to
current or former state health A True, Tireless Murray Penner, Executive Director of the National
department HIV or hepatitis Public Health Advocate Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors
directors or senior staff members
Throughout his career, (NASTAD), presents Harm Reduction Services
who have dedicated their career
Peter has remained Branch Chief Peter Whiticar, with the 2018 Lifetime
to working in state government
committed to addressing Achievement Award for his dedication to
to address the HIV and/or viral
societal injustices that addressing health disparities and social inequities.
hepatitis epidemics.
result in health disparities.
leader who has great compassion
Dedicated to Preventing for people who are at risk for
“Whether focused on the needs
Epidemics and Addressing HIV infection. His insightfulness,
of gay and bisexual men, persons
Health Disparities tremendous organizational skills,
who inject drugs, transgender
Peter has dedicated his career to individuals, homeless energy and direction are major
ensuring Hawaii residents have persons, individuals who have reasons Hawai‘i has a low-incidence
access to high quality infectious experienced incarceration, or non- for HIV infection.”
disease prevention, care, and U.S. born immigrants and refugees,
treatment services. Peter has always sought to create This LIfetime Achievement Award
spaces where individuals feel adds to Peter’s previous NASTAD
He has been Chief of the Harm welcomed, valued, and safe,” said recognition — the Dr. Nicholas A.
Reduction Services Branch, Murray Penner, NASTAD Executive Rango Award for exemplary national
previously known as the STD/AIDS Director. “He brings humanity, leadership in HIV/AIDS efforts.
Prevention Branch, since 1994. humility, ethics, and an unwavering
He currently provides statewide commitment to human rights. Peter NASTAD is a leading non-partisan
leadership and coordination for is the true embodiment of Hawaii’s non-profit association whose
the prevention, treatment, care aloha spirit, and we’re honored mission is to end the intersecting
and surveillance of HIV, sexually to present him NASTAD’s Lifetime epidemics of HIV, viral hepatitis, and
transmitted infections and adult Achievement Award. related conditions by strengthening
viral hepatitis, and administers the domestic and global governmental
state’s medical cannabis patient Health Director Bruce Anderson public health through advocacy,
registry. added: “Peter is a very talented capacity building, and social justice.
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