The state is activating a rapid response team to help people laid off at two Big Island hospitals.

The team will meet employees at Kona Community Hospital in Kealakekua and former employees of North Hawaii Community Hospital in Kamuela on Thursday.

The teams will offer counseling, career planning and job-search assistance.

Kona Community Hospital has announced it will lay off 57 workers. North Hawaii has already laid off 59 workers.

Both hospitals said they had to cut staff to reduce multimillion dollar budget deficits.

The state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations activated similar response teams to help those let go by Aloha Airlines and Molokai Ranch.