Status report involving State
Hospital must be filed
by July 2More time was requested for the compliance
By Helen Altonn
report on facility improvements
Star-BulletinU.S. District Judge David Ezra has given the state until July 2 to file a status report on Hawaii State Hospital's compliance with court-ordered improvements.
The state attorney general and U.S. Justice Department attorneys asked for additional time to prepare the report, said Anita Swanson, special assistant to state Health Director Bruce Anderson.
The report was due yesterday -- the same deadline set by Ezra for correcting problems at the State Hospital and at facilities providing state child and adolescent mental health services.
The state's mental health programs are being operated under a federal court agreement that resulted from a Justice Department lawsuit against the state.
Swanson said a compliance plan, policies and procedures are in place at the facilities, as ordered by Ezra in February.
Ezra warned the state "to move forward" if it didn't want to lose control of the mental health system.
Swanson said a compliance team with Health Department and Justice Department representatives worked with a hospital executive team to respond to the problems.
Wayne Law, who was acting hospital administrator, was appointed administrator June 1. There is a new clinical director, Dr. Antonia Austria, and a new nursing director, Chris McLoughlin.
They serve on a committee with Linda Fox, chief of adult mental health services, and Bill Elliott, administrator of administrative and support services.
Swanson said the first priorities are to provide individualized assessment and treatment program plans for patients and place them in the least restrictive environments.
Although there was talk during the legislative session about closing the Kaneohe hospital, Swanson said it won't be closed. About 80 patients, mostly criminal commitments, will remain there, she said.
The Legislature passed a bill authorizing the transfer of most of the hospital's 168 patients to private treatment programs. However, no money was provided to expand community facilities.
Swanson said patients will be discharged as appropriate but "it will be a slower process without funding."
Any savings identified from hospital operations will be channeled into expansion of community services, she said.
Swanson said the compliance team charged the hospital's executive group with drafting a clinical organizational plan for use in managing the facility's day-to-day activities, and not merely to respond to the Justice Department or the court. There was significant staff participation in developing the plan, which addresses patient and staff safety among other aspects, she said.
Swanson said the hospital has accomplished a lot since February, including:
(PI) "Coming up with a clinical organizational plan that reflects the input of the hospital. It's something they can walk and talk and believe in."
(PI) Continuing to discharge appropriate patients without additional funds for community services.
(PI) Developing a performance improvement plan relating to mental health services for children and adolescents.
About 65 to 68 young patients are receiving treatment at the Queen's Medical Center and Kahi Mohala Behavioral Healthcare.
Both participated in the improvement plan, Swanson said. "The one area we all agree on is we can do a better job."
