The state Department of Health selected Steven Pavao as Employee of the Year, Francine Wai as Manager of the Year, and the Facility Access Unit of the Disability and Communications Access Board as Team of the Year in 2019.
Steven Pavao is the mental health supervisor for the East Hawaii Mental Health Clinic Section. He supervises 22 people who provide services for consumers in need of ongoing care for severe mental illness and substance abuse, and those who have medical issues and legal encumbrances.
Pavao and his team responded to the disaster of the 2018 Kilauea eruption and partnered with the American Red Cross to train staff inpsychological first aid. Pavao also stepped in as a case manager at the Pahoa clinic to maintain continuity of care for evacuees.