Hawaii Health Department Budget Must Double To Improve Treatment of Mentally Ill, Study Finds

In order to provide an "appropriate" system to serve seriously mentally ill patients, Hawaii needs to double its annual budget for the Health Department's Adult Mental Health Division to about $120 million, according to a report released this week. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin reports that the study, conducted by the North Carolina-based firm Technical Assistance Collaborative Inc. and the Human Services Research Institute, will form the basis for a "statewide implementation plan" to address the needs of the mentally ill (Altonn, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 3/12). While it is estimated that 21,000 people living in Hawaii have mental illness, only about one third seek assistance from the state. In 1991, the U.S. Justice Department sued the state over the conditions at the Hawaii State Hospital, a facility for "adults with serious mental problems," and state officials agreed as part of a settlement to "make a series of improvements" in mental health treatment (Waite, Honolulu Advertiser, 3/13). Health officials said the $60 million funding increase recommended by the study, would be "proposed gradually." As part of its budget recommendations, the study called for increasing expenditures for "community living resources" from $7.5 million to $45 million, or 37% of the agency's budget. State Health Director Bruce Anderson said the report is "a positive step forward," adding, "With proper funding, we could look forward to lifting the weight of federal oversight and eventually addressing the settlement agreement issues" (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 3/12). He added that while an influx of $60 million would "enable" Hawaii to provide "one of the best care systems" in the nation, "at least" $24 million must be spent so the state can honor its agreement with the Justice Department to improve care for adults. In addition, Anderson is "optimistic" that the federal government will provide 40% of the proposed spending. The Advertiser reports that state House members have been "briefed" on the improvement plan and have allocated an additional $8 million for adult mental health services in next year's budget. State Rep. Dennis Arakaki (D), chair of the House Health Committee, said, "We really don't have a choice. There's a lot of pressing needs that we need to take care of. [T]his is something we have to fund" (Waite, Honolulu Advertiser, 3/13).