Have you been impacted by the wildfires on Maui? Call the Public Assistance Information Line (PAIS), a nation-wide toll-free number (1-855-643-1643) available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day for information on their programs.

BESSD is the largest division in the Department of Human Services. Staff and administrators provide a continuum of services, through nine programs that serve different populations, aimed at providing clients with monthly benefits to assist them with such essentials as food, shelter, and child care, as well as employment support and work-training and dependency diversion and prevention.  

The PAIS website https://pais.dhs.hawaii.gov is accessible 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. They both provide basic information on a variety of assistance programs offered through the Department of Human Services:

• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Temporary Assistance for Other Needy Families (TAONF)  TANF Brochure (REV 04-2022)
• First-To-Work (FTW)
• Employment and Training (E&T)
• Child Care Program Office
• General Assistance (GA)
• Aid to the Aged, Blind, and Disabled (AABD)
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – formerly known as the Food Stamp Program
• Hawaii Financial and Food Stamp Benefits Rights and Responsibilities
• Hawaii Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Program
• Homeless Programs (HP) & Information
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP)

For a step-by-step guide to accessing PAIS, read this informational brochure.

Department of Human Services Public Assistance Information System includes many services:

For information about the Department of Human Services, please visit:
State of Hawaii Department of Human Services

For information about DHS Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division (BESSD) including SNAP and Financial Assistance, please visit:
State of Hawaii Department of Human Services, Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division Website

For information about DHS Medical Assistance Programs, also called QUEST Integration, Fee-for-Service, Long Term Care, please visit:
State of Hawaii Department of Human Services, Med-QUEST Division Website