Hale Apuakea (Hawaiian for place of refuge, sanctuary, asylum, place of peace and safety)

Project Purpose: Residential Youth Services and Empowerment (RYSE), a 501(c)3, proposes to develop the Hale Apuakea Program as a replicable treatment model, offering specialized culturally inclusive, trauma-informed housing navigation, life skill, behavioral health, and economic development services within RYSE’s short-term residential array to increase stability, safety, and protective factors, promoting racial equity, for 90 vulnerable and at-risk youth up to age 25.

RYSE seeks Priority Consideration 1A and 3.

Primary Activities: 

Provide trauma-informed housing stabilization and supportive services for 90 at-risk youth throughout the grant period to improve stability and independence.
Provide access to behavioral health focused supportive services for 80 at-risk youth in the grant term to support recovery and resiliency.
Provide access to educational and employment services for 80 at-risk youth in the grant term to increase self-sufficiency.
Identify barriers and increase access to services through monthly focus groups with youth who identify as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and/or another underserved population. (Priority 1(A))
Demonstrate program model effectiveness, emphasizing racial equity, through rigorous evaluation activities resulting in an implementation model for national program replication. (Priority 3)

Expected Outcomes:

83% of youth have increased life skills to promote positive outcomes.
90% of youth report increased stability after six months of services.
75% of youth exit RYSE residential placements to safe, stable housing.
100% of program participants who exit to permanent housing maintain housing at six months.
100% of youth who receive 6 or more behavioral health services (BHS) have improved connections and support networks in one or more domains.
At least 80% of those who received 12 or more units of BHS will demonstrate progress meeting their recovery or rehabilitation goals.
At least 80% of those who receive education or employment services will demonstrate progress in meeting their self-sufficiency goals.
100% of youth report services were culturally responsive.
Youth outcomes achieved are consistent across all subpopulations by the end of Year 3 of funding, as demonstrated by disaggregated data.

Service Area: The island of O’ahu, Hawai’i.

Project Beneficiaries: At-risk youth and young adults who have experienced a history of foster care involvement, child poverty, child abuse or neglect, human trafficking, juvenile justice involvement, substance use or misuse, and/or gang involvement up to age 25, emphasizing those who are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander or identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Persons of Color (BIPOC).

Subrecipients: None