Original Webinar Recorded: Friday, July 13, 2018

Organized and sponsored by:

• University of Hawai‘i —Office of Public Health Studies &
• Hawai‘I Public Health Training Hui (Collaborative) 

Course Summary:

Helping Hands Hawai'i administers numerous programs that benefit Hawai'i's people, with a special focus on programs that help people who are dealing with multiple problems of homelessness, substance abuse, and mental illness. Within Helping Hands Hawai'i are several Behavioral Health Programs:

• Community Based Case Management and Care Coordination
• Housing First Project called Hawai'i Pathways Project
• Representative Payee, a money management program for clients who receive Social Security or Veterans benefits

Helping Hands Hawai'i uses the Housing First model to prioritize housing first, then implement wrap-around support, treatment, and life skill services that are necessary to help individuals to stabilize, improve their quality of life and maintain housing.

Learning Outcomes:

• Examine the theoretical approaches and services used to offer housing first for homeless people in Hawai'i.
• Discuss support services, treatments, and life skill services available through Helping Hands Hawai'i and their partners to help stabilized high-risk individuals.
• Share resources, tips, and success stories from Helping Hands Hawai'i's Behavioral Health and Human Services Programs.

Duration: ~ 1.5 hours

Continuing Education Information: 1.5 CHES, 1.5 CPEU for RDs, pending approval for CNEs for RNs.

Guest Speaker: Heather Pierucki, MA, LMHC, QMHP; Director of Behavioral Health at Helping Hands Hawai‘i

Speaker Bio:

Heather serves as the Director of Behavioral Health overseeing the Community-Based Case Management/Community-Based Care Coordination, Hawaii Pathways Project and clinical aspects of Representative Payee Services. She is responsible for managing behavioral health contracts that directly serve the low-income and homeless communities with a focus on consumers dealing with mental illness and substance use disorders. She also provides clinical supervision to the Behavioral Health staff and participates in the agency’s Health and Wellness committee.

Heather graduated with her Masters of Arts (MA) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Argosy University in Phoenix. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor through the State of Hawaii and serves as one of the Qualified Mental Health Professionals at Helping Hands Hawaii. Her previous experience includes work with children and adults with developmental disorders, family counseling, residential and outpatient alcohol and drug treatment and clinical supervision of counselors pursuing licensure in the state. Heather is an avid dog lover and can be found chasing her two dogs all over Oahu on the weekends!

Register for this course HERE.