Resignation put stress
on mental patients

A federal magistrate says the state's mental
health chief quit after a misunderstanding

When state adult mental health chief Thomas Hester resigned last month, it generated fear and confusion among residents with mental illnesses about services being altered, says U.S. Magistrate Kevin Chang.

"Those feelings of fear, confusion and possible abandonment experienced by mental health consumers were unnecessary and unwarranted," said Chang, special master over the state's mental health system.

Chang, a special master for a consent decree ordering improvements in the state's mental health system, made his comments yesterday in his first public statement on the case since 2001, when Chief District Judge David Ezra appointed him to oversee the case.

After the hearing, Hester said, "I'm very pleased. I'm happy. Let's get back to work."

In prepared remarks at the opening of a status hearing in federal court on the 14-year-old case, Chang suggested that Hester's resignation, later withdrawn, resulted from a misunderstanding.

Hester said he resigned June 17 because his authority was being reduced for development of a community mental health plan.

Mental health consumers and service agencies protested Hester's departure; the House Health Committee held a hearing on the situation, and Gov. Linda Lingle and her chief of staff met with Hester and health officials.

Hester withdrew his resignation by June 30 with assurance that he would continue to be directly involved in developing the plan.

Chang said there was no plan to remove or replace Hester. His discussions with attorneys in the case June 9 focused on the possibility of an implementation team for the community plan, similar to one for the Hawaii State Hospital, he said. The Kaneohe hospital was released from court oversight in December.

"I did not speak with Dr. Hester, nor did Kris McLoughlin, the court-appointed special monitor, speak to Dr. Hester about the possibility or concept of an implementation team for the community plan," he said.

"It is therefore puzzling and unfortunate that Dr. Hester misapprehended what he was told -- puzzling because Dr. Hester was part of the implementation team for Hawaii State Hospital, so he should know how the implementation team functioned, and was able to achieve substantial compliance and success with the Hawaii State Hospital Remedial Plan for compliance."

In his February report, the special master cited lack of progress by the state in a number of critical planning areas. He recommended extending the deadline for completion of the community plan from January this year to June 30, 2006.

His 10th report, which he expects to file with the court next week, "will be critical to how we marshal our resources and strategy," said Michelle Hill, state Health Department deputy director.

U.S. Justice Department Attorney Verlin Deerinwater and state Attorney General Mark Bennett expressed support for Chang after his statement.

Rosemary Reed, United Self-Help peer specialist on the Big Island who flew over for the hearing, said what recipients of mental health services feared most was losing Hester. "We support him very much. He is very kind, very open," Reed said.