Hawaii County gets
$6.4 million to counter drugsThe federal money was promised
by Sen. Inouye last year
HILO >> Hawaii County will receive nearly $6.4 million in federal money tomorrow to fight drug use, Mayor Harry Kim's office announced.
U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye will present a check for nearly $4 million for use in fighting crystal methamphetamine, the Mayor's Office said. A second check for $2.4 million will be used by the county to buy new buses, part of an effort to get drug users to treatment and to help youths avoid drug use by getting them to recreation sites.
Inouye secured the funding, fulfilling a promise last year at a conference on crystal methamphetamine, which is also known as "ice."
The anti-drug money consists of $1 million for law enforcement, $1.5 million for treatment and $1.5 million for prevention.
Treatment will include a planned live-in treatment program for teenagers, a live-in program for mothers and pregnant women in West Hawaii, a native Hawaiian treatment program in Puna, another program in Hamakua, training for substance abuse counselors and programs to combat domestic violence.
Prevention programs will include after-school programs, tutoring, culturally based programs and other programs, the Mayor's Office said.
The bus money is intended to improve transportation to treatment sites, the office said.
"It doesn't matter what kind of positive programs you have if people cannot get to them and back home," said Bill Kenoi, Kim's executive assistant in charge of combating drug use.
County Transit Director Tom Brown said he has been expanding the bus system as money becomes available, especially in areas where youths cannot otherwise get to recreational activities.
Brown noted the $2.4 million is twice as much as his agency's annual operating budget.