The Waianae Coast Community Mental Health Center sued the state Department of Health yesterday, claiming the department wrongfully terminated its contract to provide services for the severely mentally ill in the Waianae area.

The suit alleges the termination arose out of personal animosity against its executive director and for other unlawful reasons.

The health center, doing business as Hale Naau Pono, said in its complaint that the Adult Mental Health Division had decided in May to extend the contract - which ended June 30 - for an additional 12 months but rescinded its letter of intent.

The contract could have been extended for up to three more years.

The health center's executive director, Poka Laenui, also known as Hayden Burgess, contends in the lawsuit that the actions of the Health Department and its director, division acting chief and division provider relations director constituted a “;callous disregard of the rights and well-being of HNP's consumers, whose critical services were disrupted, and in some cases, discontinued due to Defendants' wrongful actions.”;

Michelle Hill, acting chief of the Adult Mental Health Division, declined to comment until she could review the suit and consult with state attorneys.

The suit also alleges that the termination of the community-based case management contract was the latest in a series of actions by the department to attack the health center and its clients through the center's contract funding.