Youth mental health struggles deepen two years after Maui wildfires

[...]

Hundreds of students like Palacio have struggled mentally since the fires – and not all have received the help they need.

The Hawaii Department of Education estimates more than a third of Maui students lost a family member, sustained a serious injury or had a parent lose a job after the fires, which killed 102 people and damaged more than 3,300 properties in Lahaina.

Two years later, many in Lahaina are ready to return to normal. But therapists say students’ mental health challenges continue to mount.

That’s common after a disaster, especially at the two-year mark, when adrenaline wears off and stress remains high, said Christopher Knightsbridge, one of several researchers at the University of Hawaii who has studied the well-being of Lahaina fire survivors. While kids may feel numb immediately following a disaster, after two years, they’re facing the toll of constant uncertainty and change, he said.

[...]