State Continues Push For Better Mental Health Care

The Lt. Governor was quick to point out that the efforts of the Mental Health Transformation State Incentive Grant working group come as Hawai‘i is now ranked 11th in the nation for mental health services.

The state is hoping to build on that success with the $10.9 million grant that Hawai‘i was awarded in October 2006 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to transform mental health services over a five-year period. Hawai`i was one of only nine states that received the grant.

“This effort is not about finding excuses or scapegoats,” Lt. Governor said before a crowd gathered at Washington Place in Honolulu. “It is about providing the best mental health care possible for our residents. This grant is an important public health victory that reaffirms our Administration's commitment to improving mental health care in Hawai`i.”

Over the last year, the program has completed a Comprehensive Mental Health Plan and Needs Assessment and a Resource Inventory. Task groups are working on educating the public, integrating systems, developing and training consumers and professionals, and evaluating the program, among others.

In July, the Lt. Governor and Health Director Chiyome Fukino, MD opened the first annual meeting of the working group.