AGP Executive Report

Hurricane Lowell Health Impacts (Kauaʻi power + water): Kauaʻi is still reeling after Lowell, with about 33,000 KIUC customers without electricity and crews facing extensive grid repairs; outages also knocked out water pumps and triggered islandwide water conservation notices. Storm Safety (brown water advisories): The state DOH issued brown water advisories across Oʻahu, Kauaʻi, and parts of Maui and Hawaiʻi Island, urging people to avoid murky waters and storm runoff due to contamination risks. Local Health Response (recovery + reopenings): State and county agencies report ongoing response support, while Oʻahu offices and schools are set to reopen Wednesday and Kauaʻi closures continue through at least Sept. 11. Maternal Health (abortion pill court fight): A federal appeals court is set to hear arguments over restrictions on mifepristone prescribing rules, part of broader efforts to limit medication abortion access. Maternal Health (ectopic pregnancy deaths): A new analysis finds ectopic pregnancy deaths nearly doubled from 2020–2025, with worse outcomes in states with abortion bans. Public Health (disaster readiness survey): DOH plans to survey West Hawaiʻi households on disaster preparedness and health impacts. Injury/EMS (snorkeling deaths): Police report an 88-year-old man died after becoming unresponsive while snorkeling off Nanakuli, the second such death in recent weeks.

Hurricane Lowell Health Impacts: Oʻahu officials say the island was spared the worst overnight, but residents are still urged to watch for flooded roads, streams, shorelines, and downed power lines as flash-flood risk lingers across the state. East Hawaii Access Boost: The Windward Planning Commission cleared a major hurdle for the $90M Keaau Benioff Health Center, a 40,000-square-foot outpatient facility aimed at easing long waits and provider shortages for Puna patients. Cancer Screening Access: The Hawaiʻi Department of Health is offering free breast and cervical cancer screenings for eligible women (ages 40–64, meeting income and insurance requirements), with an online eligibility form at mammogram.hawaii.gov. Local Health & Food as Prevention: Maui Health Foundation director of philanthropy Leana Taylor will discuss “Food Is Medicine: Locally Grown, Physician Prescribed” at a Rotary meeting Sept. 15, highlighting a preventive-care model that pairs local food with clinical monitoring. Public Health Readiness: Hawaii emergency officials urged residents to get ready for Lowell, while the state also plans a survey of West Hawaiʻi communities on disaster preparedness. National Context (Vaccines): Colorado reissued a statewide standing order to make updated COVID-19 vaccines easier to get as fall respiratory season approaches.

Hurricane Lowell Response: Oʻahu and Kauaʻi are tightening closures as the storm nears, with Governor Josh Green ordering statewide office, public school, UH campus, and Judiciary closures Tuesday; the City of Honolulu also shut non-essential services and offices, urging residents to stay off roads and indoors. Kauaʻi Power & Shelter: KIUC reported thousands of outages during Lowell’s approach, with crews restoring power as access gets harder; officials opened multiple hurricane refuge areas on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi, reminding families to bring their own “go kit” and supplies. Health Access & Infrastructure: A Hawaii County panel approved a $90M Keaau Health Center, clearing the way for a new outpatient clinic expected to break ground in spring 2027. Community Health & Wellness: Queen’s North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital joins the World’s Largest Pet Walk in Waimea on Sept. 26, promoting activity through pet-assisted walking. Medical Accountability: A Hawaiʻi doctor accused of unnecessary breast exams remains in practice despite nine women alleging violations, with the Hawaiʻi Medical Board taking no action. Local Care Under Stress: On the Big Island, a privately run condo water system was wiped out by Hurricane Lala, leaving a disabled resident struggling to access basic needs while repairs lag.

Hurricane Lowell Preparedness: Kauaʻi braces as Gov. Josh Green orders closures of state, county offices, public schools, Kauaʻi Community College, and Judiciary facilities on Tuesday; refuge areas open via American Red Cross, with officials urging residents to stay indoors and avoid travel. Local Health Access: Windward Planning Commission cleared the way for a $90M Keaau Benioff Health Center outpatient clinic, with groundbreaking expected in spring 2027. Mosquito-Borne Disease Watch: Florida reports rising locally acquired dengue cases, prompting stepped-up mosquito surveillance and spraying. Road Safety & Injury Risk: A 39-year-old Hilo man faces manslaughter charges after a fog-related Daniel K. Inouye Highway crash killed a motorcyclist and injured another; separately, an 88-year-old snorkeling off Nanakuli died after being found unconscious and treated by EMS. Aging in Place Support: RELM Handyman Services launches a Mature Home Program with monthly safety checks and minor modifications to help older adults stay in their homes longer. Nutrition On the Go: Pokéloha debuts “Power & Nutrition” poké bowls with clear calorie and macro info, developed with a clinical dietitian.

Keaau Health Center Expansion: Windward Planning Commission cleared the way for Hilo Benioff Medical Center’s Keaau Benioff Health Center, a $90M, 40,000-square-foot outpatient clinic expected to break ground in spring 2027 and open around late 2028/early 2029. Native Hawaiian Housing Fight: A legal battle over Department of Hawaiian Home Lands blood-quantum rules is drawing broader attention as conservative groups challenge Native Hawaiian benefits in court. Gender-Affirming Care in the Courts: New York’s attorney general is suing to safeguard gender-affirming care after a federal move aimed at limiting Medicaid/CHIP reimbursement. Road Safety—H-1 Crashes: A 31-year-old motorcyclist was left critically injured after rear-ending a stalled vehicle near Waimalu; separate Pearl City crash reports also describe serious injuries and ongoing investigations. Water Safety Tragedies: Two separate snorkeling deaths off Oʻahu (Nanakuli and Ko Olina) are under review, with officials urging stronger ocean precautions. Hurricane Lowell Readiness (Kauaʻi): Kauaʻi officials brief residents on refuge options and preparations as Lowell threatens with heavy rain, high surf, and wind. Respiratory Vaccines: West Coast Health Alliance immunization recommendations for 2026–2027 respiratory virus season emphasize COVID-19, flu, and RSV protection for high-risk groups. Mental Health: Hundreds joined Honolulu’s Out of the Darkness suicide prevention walk at Ala Moana, with families sharing stories and support.

Hurricane Lowell Preparedness: Kauaʻi County will brief residents Sunday at 2 p.m. on preparations and refuge options as the storm nears, with tropical storm conditions forecast for Kauaʻi and Niʻihau and flood watch warnings across the islands. Water Safety: An 88-year-old man died after being found unresponsive while snorkeling off KoʻOlina Marina, the second fatal snorkeling incident there in 11 days. Road Safety: A 31-year-old motorcyclist is in critical condition after rear-ending a stalled car on eastbound H-1 near Waimalu; police are investigating speed/drugs/alcohol. Pedestrian Hit-and-Run: A 57-year-old woman was seriously hurt in a Waianae hit-and-run on Farrington Highway; the driver fled and remains missing. Rural Hospital Access: Rep. Jill Tokuda introduced “REH 2.0” to help rural hospitals keep maternity and emergency services by easing financial barriers to the Rural Emergency Hospital program. Mental Health: Hundreds joined Honolulu’s Out of the Darkness suicide prevention walk at Ala Moana, with teams supporting prevention research and community outreach. Food Safety Research: UH Mānoa received $2M from NSF to develop AI tools to detect environmental threats to food production before outbreaks.

Suicide Prevention: Hundreds gathered at Ala Moana for the “Out of the Darkness” walk, with families sharing stories and honoring loved ones as Hawaii groups push for more mental health support. Primary Care Access: A local report highlights frustration from Hawaii patients facing a long-running doctor shortage on Oahu, especially trouble finding new primary-care appointments. Disaster Preparedness (Hurricane Lowell): Kauai is bracing for Hurricane Lowell with a tropical storm watch, flood watch, and possible refuge-area openings, while counties and residents prepare for closures and impacts. Emergency Response (Oahu EMS): Honolulu EMS added five remounted ambulances to modernize the fleet and replace a unit lost during flooding, aiming to keep emergency care running smoothly. Food Safety Research: UH Manoa received $2M from the NSF to develop AI tools to detect environmental threats to food production before they become public health problems. Public Health Outreach: DOH will survey West Hawaii households on disaster preparedness, including health and infectious disease concerns. Health Policy/Access: DOH is also running free breast and cervical cancer screenings for uninsured women unable to pay.

Hurricane Lowell & emergency health readiness: Hawaii officials are urging Kauai residents to prepare as Lowell strengthens to Category 4 and remains on an uncertain track, with potentially dangerous impacts even if the storm stays offshore. Disaster health planning: The state Department of Health will run a voluntary CASPER household survey Sept. 14–18 in Kona, Kohala and Hamakua to understand evacuation plans, health concerns (including infectious disease), and disaster preparedness after recent storms. Local EMS upgrades: DOH says Hawaii will receive 34 new ambulances from federal rural health funds, plus upgrades to emergency communications—aimed at faster, more reliable response across counties. Public health prevention: The West Coast Health Alliance and Hawaiʻi epidemiology leaders issued 2026–27 respiratory virus immunization recommendations, emphasizing updated COVID-19, flu, and RSV vaccines for people most at risk. Water safety & resilience: DOH conditionally approved reactivating the Navy’s ʻAiea Hālawa Shaft as a drinking-water source for Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, requiring treatment and monitoring for contaminants including PFAS. Injury alerts: HPD reported a 57-year-old pedestrian seriously injured in a Waianae hit-and-run, and a 45-year-old woman is in critical condition after a Pearl City two-car crash. School wellness: Lahainaluna High School became Hawaii’s first America’s Healthiest Schools award recipient, recognized for staff well-being, health services, and health education.

Rural Health Funding: Hawaiʻi will receive $58M to strengthen rural care, including 34 new ambulances statewide and upgrades to emergency communications, with DOH using funds to modernize systems like MEDICOM and add satellite power/internet to ambulances. Disaster Preparedness: DOH will run a CASPER household survey Sept. 14–18 in Kona, Kohala and Hamakua to gauge evacuation plans, health concerns (including infectious disease), and disaster readiness after Hurricane Lala. Storm Response & Health Access: A pop-up clinic at Naʻālehu Elementary treated about 100 Hurricane Lala survivors, focusing first on wound care and adding mental health support as residents faced gaps in rural access. Water Safety & Resilience: DOH conditionally approved reactivation of the Navy’s ʻAiea Hālawa Shaft to boost potable water reliability for about 93,000 users, with required treatment and monitoring for contaminants including PFAS. Public Health Guidance: West Coast Health Alliance issued 2026–27 respiratory virus immunization recommendations, urging updated COVID-19 vaccines and other protections for people most at risk. Hurricane Lowell Watch: Officials say Lowell remains dangerous and track uncertainty could still bring major impacts, especially for Kauaʻi and Niʻihau. Food Safety: DOH shut down a Waikoloa restaurant after inspectors found significant rodent activity and food safety violations, requiring food disposal, deep cleaning, and professional pest control.

Cancer Care Access: Hawaiʻi DOH is rolling out “Go and Know,” offering free breast and cervical cancer screenings for eligible uninsured women, with an online eligibility form and connections to free mammogram services. Hurricane Readiness: Hurricane Lowell remains a major threat with strong surf and damaging winds expected early next week, and officials stress that the track is still uncertain. Disaster Recovery (Kona Earthquake): Gov. Josh Green says FEMA approved a major disaster declaration for the May 22 Kona quake, unlocking individual assistance for eligible Hawaii County residents, including temporary housing and repairs. Adolescent Mental Health: A $2.09M Helmsley grant will expand Kona Community Hospital’s behavioral health capacity with a new adolescent inpatient unit outside Oʻahu. SNAP Storm Replacement: After Tropical Cyclone Lala, Hawaiʻi DHS automatically replaced 45% of August SNAP benefits for approved disaster areas, while other households can still apply for partial or full replacement through Sept. 13. Public Health Watch: DOH reports dengue detected in Hawaiʻi Island wastewater, signaling ongoing local monitoring needs. Local Health & Safety: Hawaii Fire Department debuted a new all-terrain firefighting truck on Hawaiʻi Island to strengthen wildfire response.

Behavioral Health Boost: A $2.09M Helmsley grant will fund an adolescent inpatient behavioral health unit at Kona Community Hospital, adding five pediatric beds and expanding Hawaii’s capacity beyond Oʻahu. Disaster Recovery: President Trump approved a major disaster declaration (FEMA-4936-DR) for the May 22 Kona 6.0 quake, unlocking FEMA individual assistance for eligible Hawaii County residents, including help for home repairs and damaged water catchments. Local Health & Safety: Patsy T. Mink Central Oʻahu Regional Park fully reopened after restoration from its temporary debris-site use following Kona low storms, with soil testing reported as meeting state health requirements. Food Assistance After Storms: Hawaii SNAP households in approved areas will automatically receive 45% replacement of August benefits after Hurricane Lala, with requests for more help due Sept. 13. Public Health Watch: Hawaii wastewater testing detected dengue virus in Hilo; officials say it’s an early warning signal and not proof of local spread, with no active cases currently tracked. Community Health Alerts: Two people were hospitalized with burns after a tent fire near Black Rocks Beach in Nanakuli; police have not released a cause. COVID Update: Hawaii’s COVID positivity rates are rising again, with higher rates in Kauaʻi and Honolulu and increased hospital admissions reported.

Public Health Watch (Hawaiʻi Island): The Hawaiʻi Department of Health says a wastewater sample from the Hilo treatment plant tested positive for dengue virus. Officials collected a follow-up sample the same day results were reported and say they’re not tracking any active dengue cases in Hawaiʻi County right now; DOH notes dengue isn’t endemic in Hawaiʻi and past local cases have been travel-related. Emergency Care & Mental Health (Oʻahu): Honolulu is expanding its MH3 program, which lets emergency responders and law enforcement involuntarily take people experiencing severe mental illness or substance abuse for care; officials report about 150 interventions since launch. Injury Updates (Nanakuli & Volcano): A Nanakuli fire sent two people to the hospital with serious burns, and Hawaiʻi Island police are investigating a Volcano crash that seriously injured an 11-year-old after he fell from a pickup bed and was run over. Food Assistance (After Tropical Cyclone Lala): Hawaiʻi DHS announced automated SNAP mass replacement for eligible households, with a 45% August benefit replacement on EBT cards for approved areas.

Dengue Watch (Hawaiʻi Island): The state Department of Health says a wastewater sample from Hilo tested positive for dengue virus. Officials collected the sample Aug. 24 and were notified Aug. 31; a follow-up sample is pending. DOH stresses wastewater positives don’t confirm illness or local spread, but they’re an early warning to boost mosquito control and awareness. Houselessness & Public Health (Maui): Maui County announced an interim safe parking site on county land in Puʻunēnē and a permanent location in Kahului, aiming to reduce risks while connecting people to supportive services. Rural Health Resilience (Hawaiʻi): Hawaii News Now reports $18.5M in federal funding to strengthen the power grid and create “critical customer hubs” to keep key services running during extended outages. Workforce Health Pathways (Oʻahu): Ten Honolulu adults graduated from a tuition-free construction and skilled trades track and received job offers immediately—an indirect boost for long-term health through stable employment. Safety Alerts (Volcano): An 11-year-old was seriously injured after falling from a pickup truck bed and being run over by a food wagon; police are investigating a negligent injury case and remind drivers about the ban on passengers under 16 in pickup beds.

Transgender youth healthcare fight: A coalition of 21+ states, including New York and Washington, sued the Trump administration over a new rule that would block Medicaid/CHIP reimbursement for gender-affirming care for low-income youth (effective Oct. 13, 2026), arguing the federal government is overstepping and undermining state medical decisions. Hawaii insurer contract shake-up: In Hawaii, HMSA’s “claims-based attribution” changes reportedly removed about 450 primary-care patients from one clinic’s panel and cut roughly $162,000/year in payments, raising concerns for access and stability in primary care. Rural health funding: Gov. Green announced $58 million in federal investment to strengthen rural healthcare across Hawai‘i. Local emergency updates: Honolulu firefighters extinguished a two-alarm Waipahu house fire, treating a 6-year-old and a 66-year-old for serious burns; in McCully, a pickup rollover killed a 26-year-old woman and critically injured a 25-year-old. Public health watch: Cyclosporiasis cases are still being reported nationwide even though the CDC season is “technically over,” with thousands of infections confirmed since May. Injury prevention reminder: Hawai‘i Island police urged safer pickup-bed practices after an 11-year-old fell from a truck bed and was run over by a towed food wagon.

Mental Health Crisis Response: Honolulu is expanding its MH-3 program, which uses a legal pathway under Act 219 to move people experiencing severe mental illness or substance abuse crises for emergency evaluation when they meet danger thresholds; officials say the program has already involved about 120 people in roughly 150 interventions since launch. Suicide Prevention in Agriculture: During Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month, Hawaii leaders highlighted elevated risk for workers in farming and other high-stress, low-control jobs, especially as storms add financial and emotional strain. Rural Healthcare Funding: Gov. Green announced $58 million in federal investment to strengthen rural healthcare across Hawaiʻi, aiming to reduce gaps that can mean long drives for critical services. Meals Access for Kūpuna: Hawaiʻi Meals on Wheels hit a record 100 delivery routes on Oʻahu, serving about 800 meals daily and asking for more volunteers to keep up with demand. Gun Safety Effort: Oʻahu held a community gun buyback event offering gift cards for turned-in firearms, paired with free gun locks and messaging that firearm violence is a public health concern. STEM for Maui Students: A Maui fundraiser drew nearly 400 supporters and raised about $175,000 for robotics and STEM programs, with students showcasing projects and signing up for future competitions. Hurricane Recovery Watch: Updates from Hurricane Lala response efforts continued, including work to restore Kaʻū water service and assess storm damage to critical infrastructure.

Rural Healthcare Funding: Hawaiʻi is set to receive $58M in federal money to strengthen rural care, including workforce training, new ambulances for every county, and upgrades to emergency communications. Storm Resilience: The Hawaiʻi National Guard wrapped up Lala response on Kauaʻi and Oʻahu, while troops continue recovery support on Hawaiʻi Island and Maui. Community Resilience Hubs: An editorial highlights how “resilience hubs” can keep families connected to food, power access, and services during repeated disruptions. Public Health & Safety: Multiple motorcycle/moped crashes on Oʻahu left riders seriously hurt, including a critical Ewa Beach moped collision tied to a red-light turn and helmet use concerns. Mental Health & Media: Attorneys General announced a major Meta settlement aimed at reducing how long children can spend on Instagram/Facebook and improving child safety reforms. Local Wellness/Access: Navarro Discount Pharmacy locations in Miami-Dade now accept WIC, expanding access to infant formula and nutritious foods.