Local Resources
Health
Newborns and children should receive routine medical checkups to ensure a healthy start. Postpartum mothers may also benefit from medical and therapeutic services during pregnancy and beyond. Individuals and families in Hawaii without access to employer-sponsored coverage have options for purchasing health care plans on the federal marketplace exchange or from the private marketplace. Public health care plans such as Medicaid and CHIP are available for those who can’t afford insurance and who meet certain income and eligibility requirements.
Where can I get health insurance for my child?
If you are looking for health insurance, please visit the Health Insurance Marketplace or call (800) 318-2596 to prepare for open enrollment and sign up for private health insurance. This tool will help you understand health plan choices and select the coverage that best suits your needs when open enrollment in the new Health Insurance.
For local health insurance plans in Hilo, call or visit:
Quest and Medicaid programs (East Hawaii Section): 88 Kanoelehua Ave, Room 107
Hawaii State Department of Human Services: QUEST and QExA are free health insurance programs for eligible children and youths administered by Med-QUEST.
HMSA Children’s Plan: Provides affordable health insurance to children (between one month and 19 years) who don’t qualify for QUEST or Medicaid Fee-for-Service. For more information, call 1-800- 620-4672.
Where can I find other medical and therapeutic services?
For medical support or services in Hilo, call or visit:
Hilo Medical Center: (808) 932-3000, at 1190 Waianuenue Ave.
Kaiser Permanente (800) 966-5955, at 1292 Waianuenue Ave.
Hilo Naturopathic Clinic (808) 969-7848, at 246 Ululani St.
Hilo Bay Clinic (808) 333-3600, at 1178 Kinoole St., Bldg. B.
For chiropractic services specializing in all stages of pregnancy and postpartum, call or visit:
Atlas Specific Spine Center: (808) 498-0295, in Waimea.
For perinatal loss, bereavement support and perinatal mental health, contact:
Heather Heintz, LCSW, PMH-C: (808)-936-9590
Financial
Hawaii has the TANF (Temporary Cash Assistance for Needy families) program, which can help in a number of ways. To be eligible, you will need to either work a certain number of hours or take part in a government work scheme. However, TANF is exactly what it says it is: a temporary program aimed at getting you into the position where you can look after your family without needing to rely on its benefits. You can only benefit from TANF for up to 48 months (lifetime total), so think carefully before applying.
For other needs, please visit the following:
Bills help or Financial Help Single Mothers for assistance with bills
Welfare offices for assistance with welfare
Food
One of a mother’s most important jobs is to provide food for her family. It’s something a lot of people take for granted, but it isn’t always so easy when money is short. No family should go without access to proper nutrition, especially pregnant or breastfeeding mothers or young children. Find out what food assistance you are entitled to! Don’t go without.
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program) aims to make sure that no needy families in Hawaii go hungry.
Food Bank of Hawaii offers help to eligible families though its Food banks program, where donated food is given to those who meet certain criteria.
WIC (Women, Infants and Children) offers food vouchers to low income moms, pregnant women, breastfeeding women and women with young children.
Haumea Collective provides subsidized postpartum meal packages for low-income mothers in East Hawaii. Please use this website to fill out an application and see if you qualify for one month of meal support at no cost to you!
Housing
Finding decent, safe and affordable housing in Hawaii can be just as great a problem as it is anywhere else for single mothers. In Hawaii, there is help available for your housing needs, but is varies from island to island, so you have first to identify the specific programs for where you live. You can get the information you need to take you to the right place here.
Child Care
Child care is one of the most important and expensive choice to make as a parent. You need to know where to go to get good childcare, whether it is based in your own home or in a day care center. Below are some local resources for your childcare needs:
Patch Hawaii for assistance finding child care programs near you
Human services Hawaii to apply for child care subsidies
Tūtū and me for free parent/caregiver and child preschool programs, ages 0+
Keiki Steps for free parent/caregiver and child preschool programs, ages 0+
Tinkergarten for outdoor parent/caregiver and child preschool programs, ages 18 months+