Embedded Files
Reports
NEW! Community Report
Released August 6, 2025
2025 has brought significant federal changes to the social safety net in the US. A Thompson School Department of Social Work study interviewed 24 nonprofit leaders in the state of Hawai‘i to explore the impact of the federal changes on a variety of social service and health nonprofit organizations across the state. This study examined how the nonprofits were affected and how they responded, finding substantial impacts to nonprofits and the communities they serve, including budget impacts, and significant psychological toll on workers, leaders, and community members.
The report, We Are All Interconnected: Hawai'i Nonprofits Navigating Federal Shifts in Early 2025 , offers an early snapshot of the adaptations nonprofits are implementing with a strong focus on continuing to provide valuable services to vulnerable communities in the state. Nonprofit leaders had a clear view that more changes will be coming, and more adaptation will be needed for the organizations to continue their work, focusing heavily on collaborating with other social and health services agencies to leverage their collective strength.
"The responses of the nonprofit leaders make it clear that they remain committed to their communities, and grounded in their agency's mission and values to guide critical decisions for how to move forward in a changing federal landscape," says Dr. Rebecca Stotzer, Department Chair for Social Work.
If you have questions or would like to connect further about this work, please email us at swhub@hawaii.edu
2_We Are All Interconnected_Non Profit Report Final (16).pdfWe Are All Interconnected_Main Findings Document_FinalMay 2022
Social Work in Hawai`i: A Workforce Profile
A 2022 workforce profile report, conducted by our faculty, found a shortage of social workers on the islands of Maui, Kaua’i and Hawai’i islands (Arndt, et. al, 2022). Moreover, as we were just starting to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Maui fires struck, creating an even deeper need for mental health support and clinical services. The aftermath of the 2023 Maui fires has taxed our existing safety net while stretching our existing statewide workforce at all levels of social work practice.
In addition to serving as a resource of information, the Workforce Development Hub gathers, organizes, and analyzes data to help inform and meet the need for more social workers.
Fact Sheets & Infographics
Other Workforce Published Articles
85 years article.pdf(Kreif & Stotzer, 2023)
Collaborative Regional Workforce Development for Hawai‘i and the Pacific: 85+ Years of Social Work Education
License Atainment Based on Degree Modality: Distance EducaƟon vs. Campus-based MSW OpƟons.pdf(Stotzer, Arndt, & Kreif, 2023)
License Attainment Based on Degree Modality: Distance Education vs. Campus-based MSW Options
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