Latest news with #STAR-ADVERTISER
Yahoo
a day ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
High surf advisory issued for Hawaii south shores Saturday
STAR-ADVERTISER / AUG. 19 A high surf advisory is in effect for all Hawaiian southern shores starting Saturday morning. Shown here, surfers enjoy high surf at Kewalo's on Oahu. STAR-ADVERTISER / AUG. 19 A high surf advisory is in effect for all Hawaiian southern shores starting Saturday morning. Shown here, surfers enjoy high surf at Kewalo's on Oahu. A high surf advisory has been issued for the south shores of all Hawaiian islands, effective Saturday morning. The National Weather Service in Honolulu said a moderate, south-to-southwest swell will bring advisory level surf to south shores from 6 a.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday. Surf started building on south shores today, and is expected to reach 7 to 10 feet Saturday, forecasters said. Officials warned of strong, breaking waves, and strong currents, which will make swimming dangerous along south shores. 'Heed all advice from ocean safety officials, ' the advisory said. 'When in doubt, don't go out.' See more : 1 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our. Having trouble with comments ? .
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Board of Education promotes financial literacy for Hawaii students
STAR-ADVERTISER / JAN. 29, 2020 Hawaii high school students work on building financial literacy in a 'MyMoney ' class, an interactive, online program that teaches about finances in 2020. STAR-ADVERTISER / JAN. 29, 2020 Hawaii high school students work on building financial literacy in a 'MyMoney ' class, an interactive, online program that teaches about finances in 2020. The state Board of Education has begun discussions to develop a formal policy that would embed financial literacy education throughout the state's public school system, responding to growing interest from students, educators and the broader community. During a Thursday meeting, the Board's Student Achievement Committee reviewed a memorandum from committee Chair Bill Arakaki recommending the initiation of a policy development process that would pave the way for a structured approach to teaching financial literacy in Hawaii public schools. The board acknowledged that there is significant and consistent demand from students and other stakeholders to expand access to personal finance education. While some offerings already exist through elective courses and digital platforms, the board is exploring how to systematize and possibly require financial literacy education for graduation. The committee has agreed that further action on financial literacy is warranted and to work alongside the state Department of Education on the next steps, including gathering data and engaging the public. In support of the board's deliberation, the Department of Education presented an extensive update on its ongoing work to expand financial literacy opportunities in schools. Deputy Superintendent Heidi Armstrong and Teri Ushijima, assistant superintendent of the Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design, outlined efforts tied to the state's 2023-2029 Strategic Plan. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. The DOE already offers a financial literacy elective course and integrates financial education into career and technical education, economics and junior ROTC pathways. DOE schools also have access to digital tools such as EVERFI, Banzai, LYFE and Intuit for Education. These platforms offer interactive financial lessons on budgeting, credit, investing and more—many at no cost to the department. Enrollment in the financial literacy elective course rose from 182 students across 10 schools in the 2021-2022 school year to 761 students in nine schools by the 2024-2025 school year. EVERFI high school enrollments also increased to 2, 485 from 2, 052 between the 2021-2022 school year and the 2022-2023 school year, though they dropped slightly in subsequent years. Danson Honda, a 28-year-old resident of Pearl City, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that he learned financial literacy 'the hard way, through making many mistakes, ' and hopes future generations won't have to go through what he did. 'I grew up in low-income housing, a single-income family in Waipio Gentry, and I was always under the impression that working hard, getting good grades and going to college would magically make things better—but it didn't, ' Honda said. He shared that during college he struggled with credit card debt and student loans, admitting he never truly learned how to manage finances—how to budget, save, invest or plan for the future. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Honda faced unemployment due to widespread hiring freezes and became a food delivery driver to make ends meet. 'Everybody thinks that to be successful in life, you need a fancy job title and a high income. I learned firsthand—through the power of financial literacy—how you can leverage even lower-paying jobs to build something substantial, ' he said. 'Even though I was only able to find work as a food delivery driver, I used my financial knowledge to create a budget and invest what I earned.' By age 24, Honda had become a homeowner. Today he works as a real estate agent with Locations Hawaii. 'I feel grateful and lucky that I had a chance to learn from my mistakes because I recognize that a lot of people aren't in that position to make mistakes—any mistake could result in them being homeless on the streets, ' Honda said. He also mentioned that while he appreciates the focus on affordable housing and reducing homelessness at the city and state levels, he would encourage officials to place more emphasis on financial literacy. He believes that teaching financial literacy in classrooms from a young age is key to helping people understand how life works and preventing issues like unaffordable housing and homelessness in the future. The Department's Financial Literacy Task Force has recommended several structural reforms to improve financial education. One key suggestion is to embed financial literacy as a core competency throughout K-12 education. Additionally, the task force proposes redesigning the Personal Transition Plan to incorporate financial education, ensuring that students are better prepared for real-world financial decisions. To further enhance financial literacy, they recommend making it a graduation requirement by the 2028-2029 school year. Finally, the task force suggests introducing micro-credentials, badges or transcript seals to recognize and highlight student achievements in financial literacy, providing an incentive for students to excel in this important area. The department is also requesting funding for an educational specialist position to support these initiatives. If the board ultimately adopts a formal policy, students soon may be required to meet specific financial literacy benchmarks to graduate. Options under consideration include elective courses, summer school classes, self-paced digital modules and co-curricular activities.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Veteran GOP state lawmaker Gene Ward served with distinction, fervor
COURTESY PHOTO Gene Ward 1 /4 COURTESY PHOTO Gene Ward COURTESY CATHY LEE Lei drape former Rep. Gene Ward's desk as House members pay tribute to him Friday morning. 2 /4 COURTESY CATHY LEE Lei drape former Rep. Gene Ward's desk as House members pay tribute to him Friday morning. WEST HAWAII TODAY / 2017 State Rep. Gene Ward addresses the West Hawaii Republican Convention at Waikoloa Village. Ward, a longtime Republican East Oahu representative, died Friday morning at age 82. 3 /4 WEST HAWAII TODAY / 2017 State Rep. Gene Ward addresses the West Hawaii Republican Convention at Waikoloa Village. Ward, a longtime Republican East Oahu representative, died Friday morning at age 82. STAR-ADVERTISER / JAN. 15, 2020 Ward addresses fellow representatives about the problem of the Hawaii's high cost of living with a bag of groceries at his side in 2020. 4 /4 STAR-ADVERTISER / JAN. 15, 2020 Ward addresses fellow representatives about the problem of the Hawaii's high cost of living with a bag of groceries at his side in 2020. COURTESY PHOTO Gene Ward COURTESY CATHY LEE Lei drape former Rep. Gene Ward's desk as House members pay tribute to him Friday morning. WEST HAWAII TODAY / 2017 State Rep. Gene Ward addresses the West Hawaii Republican Convention at Waikoloa Village. Ward, a longtime Republican East Oahu representative, died Friday morning at age 82. STAR-ADVERTISER / JAN. 15, 2020 Ward addresses fellow representatives about the problem of the Hawaii's high cost of living with a bag of groceries at his side in 2020. Former state Rep. Gene Ward was remembered Friday for nearly 30 years of service in the Legislature and other accomplishments that included helping Native Hawaiians and people in poor countries around the world. Ward, 82, died Friday morning after prolonged health issues kept him sidelined from the state Capitol since January and led him to resign Monday after representing his East Honolulu district, which includes Hawaii Kai, for 27 years. During Friday's House of Representatives floor session, Ward's desk was adorned with a flower arrangement and lei. After adjourning, House members gathered around the desk still bearing Ward's nameplate and sang 'Hawai 'i Aloha.' 'Esteemed colleagues of the House, it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to formally inform this body of the passing of our dear friend, my mentor and our colleague, Representative Gene Ward, who peacefully passed away early this morning, ' said Rep. Diamond Garcia, a former office manager and chief of staff for Ward. 'Gene Ward was more than just a legislator, ' said Garcia (R, Ewa-Kapolei ). 'He was a true statesman. He devoted his life to serving others, from the villages of the Peace Corps to the halls of this Capitol.' Gov. Josh Green ordered U.S. and Hawaii flags to be flown at half-staff Friday through Monday at state facilities in recognition of what Green described as Ward's unwavering service. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. 'The passing of Gene Ward is a profound loss for Hawaii, ' Green said in a statement. 'Gene dedicated his life to public service with passion, integrity and an unwavering commitment to the people he represented. From his service in the Peace Corps and the Vietnam War to his decades in the State House, he brought a global perspective and deep love for Hawaii to everything he did. His leadership in supporting small businesses, strengthening international relations and advocating for local communities has left a lasting impact on our state.' Ward was born in Ohio and moved to Hawaii in 1965 where he trained in Hilo for volunteer Peace Corps service before being sent to Borneo, an island largely shared by Malaysia and Indonesia. According to old campaign advertising, Ward became an assistant land development officer for the Malaysian Department of Agriculture, and his job included clearing 10, 000 acres of jungle, establishing oil palm plantations and developing roads, bridges, villages and a school where he became principal. 'My crew chief for the jungle clearance project was an ex-head-hunter who used to squat down with me and smoke cigarettes while we planned our next step, ' Ward was quoted in the ad. 'It was a real hands-on lesson on working with people from incredibly diverse backgrounds.' In 1969, Ward, who spoke Malay, Indonesian and Vietnamese, served in the U.S. Army as a language specialist with the Military Assistance Command in Vietnam. Back in Hawaii, Ward earned a degree in Asian studies at the University of Hawaii and a doctorate in business sociology. As part of his doctoral thesis, Ward studied success factors of Hawaiians in business compared with Caucasians in business, according to campaign advertisements, and that led him to co-found the nonprofit Hawaii Entrepreneurship Training and Development Institute in 1977 with George Kanahele to train unemployed people to start their own businesses. Ward also for a time was a small-business owner with his wife, Faredah, a cousin of a past Malaysian prime minister whom Ward met in 1970 at the East-West Center. Ward and his wife imported and sold hand-painted batik fabrics from Malaysia in a store they opened in 1994 at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Most of Ward's career was spent in politics. He credited his Peace Corps service with leading him there. 'I'm a product of Kennedy idealism that put me in the jungles of Borneo without electricity or running water for two years to prove that you can make a difference, ' he said in a campaign statement in the 1990s. 'Without the Peace Corps experience, I would not be in politics.' As a local Christian conservative GOP leader, Ward in 1988 was co-chair of the Pat Robertson for President Committee, an umbrella organization for new right-wing Republicans. After Robertson lost in the primary to then-Vice President George H.W. Bush, Ward led Hawaii's delegation at the National Republican Convention in New Orleans and appeared on national TV to cast the state's vote for Bush. Ward also ran for the state House in 1988, but lost to Democrat Fred Hirayama by 250 votes for the seat then representing Hawaii Kai to Aina Haina. Two years later Ward unseated Hirayama by nearly 300 votes—4, 249 to 3, 958. Also in 1990, Ward was honored in a Bush White House ceremony as the U.S. Small Business Administration's National Minority Business advocate of the year. Ward served in the House until 1998 when he tried to make a leap to Congress by running against Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep Neil Abercrombie, who later became governor. After losing to Abercrombie, Ward became a presidential appointee under the Bush administration in a USAID office promoting democracy throughout the world from 1999 to 2004. Then Ward served as a Peace Corps country director for the Southeast Asian island nation of East Timor from 2005 to 2006 supervising humanitarian efforts with a $1 million budget. Ward was reelected to his old House seat in 2006. Because Ward was a Republican in the Legislature heavily dominated by Democrats, it's hard to cite bills introduced by the veteran House member that became law. But Ward backed many bills that were enacted, and often chastised his colleagues from the opposing party. 'Democracy is good when there are differences of opinions, ' said Garcia. 'When debate happens, that's not a bad thing. It's a good thing and we need more debate.' Garcia recalled one instance in 2018 when Ward was trying to question officials in Gov. David Ige's administration about a missile attack alert that was sent to the public by mistake and took 38 minutes to correct. 'Please indulge me … I've waited for an hour and a half, ' Ward said to a House colleague running the meeting as he tried to ask more than two questions. 'Please don't cut me off.' Ward was cut off, and flung his microphone down in disgust as he left the meeting room. 'Typical Gene, ' Garcia said. 'He could get fiery at times, but he was always passionate. He would make sure that his thoughts were spoken loud and clear no matter what.' House Republican Leader Lauren Matsumoto said in a statement that during her 12 years in the Legislature with Ward, he would always say that Republican members might not have the votes but have the voice. 'And he lived up to that ideal every day he served, ' Matsumoto said. Over the years, Ward held multiple leadership roles, including House minority leader, House minority policy leader and, most recently, House minority caucus leader for the 2025 legislative session. Ward introduced several bills this year backed by colleagues, including one to establish a general excise tax holiday on the first Saturday of each month for Hawaii small businesses, one to legalize recreational use of cannabis by adults no younger than 21, one to replace a parking lot around Iolani Palace with a pedestrian promenade, and one to limit legislative terms to 12 years. However, since the beginning of this year's legislative session on Jan. 15, Ward had not been present at the state Capitol due to health issues. On March 21, Ward released a statement explaining that he had been experiencing anemia, sciatica, pneumonia and other health challenges that prompted him to resign from office effective March 31. 'Despite the many efforts of medical professionals, my recovery has been much slower and more painful in the last few weeks, ' he said. House Speaker Nadine Nakamura on Friday extended heartfelt condolences to Ward's family and community. 'Representative Ward served the East Honolulu community and the State of Hawaii with unwavering dedication, determination, and spirit, ' she said in a statement. 'His institutional knowledge, leadership, and flair were appreciated by colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Ward's contributions leave a lasting impact in the Legislature and throughout our state.' Former Gov. John Waihe 'e III recognized Ward for his service, which included twice being on the East-West Center's Board of Governors. 'Gene's unwavering commitment to service was truly inspiring, and his tenacity pushed us all to aim higher, ' Waihe 'e, the center's current board chair, said in a statement. 'Even in times of opposition, he approached conversations with respect and aloha. Our community will not be the same without him, and we will carry his memory forward in our service to the Center's mission that he cared about so deeply.' U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, called Ward a statesman and genuinely effective member of the loyal opposition. 'The people of Hawaii Kai and the people of Hawaii have lost a very good and decent public servant, ' Schatz said in a statement. Funeral service and public memorial arrangements are to be announced at a later date.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Hawaii among Democratic-led states suing to block $11B health funding cut
STAR-ADVERTISER / SEPT. 13, 2024 Attorney General Anne Lopez has joined attorneys general and governors from 22 other states and the District of Columbia in a lawsuit against the Trump administration's cancellation of $11 billion in federal grants the states were allocated during the COVID-19 pandemic. 1 /2 STAR-ADVERTISER / SEPT. 13, 2024 Attorney General Anne Lopez has joined attorneys general and governors from 22 other states and the District of Columbia in a lawsuit against the Trump administration's cancellation of $11 billion in federal grants the states were allocated during the COVID-19 pandemic. LEAH MILLIS / REUTERS The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services building in Washington, D.C., is seen in this photo from Thursday. 2 /2 LEAH MILLIS / REUTERS The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services building in Washington, D.C., is seen in this photo from Thursday. STAR-ADVERTISER / SEPT. 13, 2024 Attorney General Anne Lopez has joined attorneys general and governors from 22 other states and the District of Columbia in a lawsuit against the Trump administration's cancellation of $11 billion in federal grants the states were allocated during the COVID-19 pandemic. LEAH MILLIS / REUTERS The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services building in Washington, D.C., is seen in this photo from Thursday. A group of Democratic-led states, including Hawaii, today sued President Donald Trump's administration to challenge its cancellation of $11 billion in federal grants the states were allocated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Attorneys general and governors from 23 states and the District of Columbia in a lawsuit filed in federal court in Rhode Island argue the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services lacks the authority to unilaterally claw back funding the states had already built health programs around. The grant funding was being used by states to track, prevent and control infectious diseases, including measles and bird flu, as well as track mental health services and fund addiction treatment. The Hawaii Department of the Attorney General said in a news release today that the state could lose over $89 million from the grant terminations. The federal grants fund Hawaii Department of Health contracts for data infrastructure and modernization, community support services, substance abuse prevention services, public health staff, and capital improvements and equipment upgrades for state labs on Oahu and Kauai, state officials said. Many of the contracts may have to be terminated if the money is not restored, they added. 'The HHS cuts threaten the urgent public health needs of Hawaii and other states around the country at a time when emerging disease threats—such as measles and bird flu—are on the rise, ' Gov. Josh Green said in the news release. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez added, 'Congress made wide-ranging public health investments that support and protect community health programs, prepare states for future health threats and fund local partnerships with community health providers. Hawaii relied upon the federal government's legally binding obligations. Terminating hundreds of millions of dollars in in federal grants obligated to Hawaii that have already been appropriated by Congress, without notice, is unlawful and harms our most vulnerable and underserved communities.' RELATED STORY : HHS officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The slash in funding was the latest wave of cuts to be overseen by new Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The department said the funds were largely used for COVID-19 testing, vaccination, and other responses to the pandemic in announcing the termination of the grants last week. 'The COVID-19 pandemic is over, and HHS will no longer waste billions of taxpayer dollars responding to a non-existent pandemic that Americans moved on from years ago, ' the department said at the time. The funding included money from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for pandemic preparedness, overdose prevention and community health programs, and from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for addiction treatment and suicide prevention. 'By eliminating billions in critical funding for essential public health initiatives, the administration is effectively telling the American people to fend for themselves, ' Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said in a statement.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Center tackles homelessness at root levels
STAR-ADVERTISER / 2024 'A 'ala Respite, which opened Sept. 16, provides shelter and medical respite care to Oahu's homeless population. Hospital beds are shown set up in the shelter. 1 /4 STAR-ADVERTISER / 2024 'A 'ala Respite, which opened Sept. 16, provides shelter and medical respite care to Oahu's homeless population. Hospital beds are shown set up in the shelter. GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @ T.J. Utai, above, is making progress with the help of Iwilei health center, shown behind him. The facility marked its first anniversary March 3. 2 /4 GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @ T.J. Utai, above, is making progress with the help of Iwilei health center, shown behind him. The facility marked its first anniversary March 3. GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @ Josten Gu tierres, is a client at the Behavioral Health Crisis Center, which on March 8 marked one year of providing services to those who might not have other resources available. 3 /4 GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @ Josten Gu tierres, is a client at the Behavioral Health Crisis Center, which on March 8 marked one year of providing services to those who might not have other resources available. GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @ Iwilei Health Center staff shown Monday in front of the facility include Dr. Chad Koyonagi, left ; Angie Dickson, director, clinical psychology ; Sue Gie Kim, program manager ; and Mitchell West, program manager. 4 /4 GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @ Iwilei Health Center staff shown Monday in front of the facility include Dr. Chad Koyonagi, left ; Angie Dickson, director, clinical psychology ; Sue Gie Kim, program manager ; and Mitchell West, program manager. STAR-ADVERTISER / 2024 'A 'ala Respite, which opened Sept. 16, provides shelter and medical respite care to Oahu's homeless population. Hospital beds are shown set up in the shelter. GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @ T.J. Utai, above, is making progress with the help of Iwilei health center, shown behind him. The facility marked its first anniversary March 3. GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @ Josten Gu tierres, is a client at the Behavioral Health Crisis Center, which on March 8 marked one year of providing services to those who might not have other resources available. GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @ Iwilei Health Center staff shown Monday in front of the facility include Dr. Chad Koyonagi, left ; Angie Dickson, director, clinical psychology ; Sue Gie Kim, program manager ; and Mitchell West, program manager. The Behavioral Health Crisis Center opened in 2024 across the street from the Institute for Human Services' men's shelter in Iwilei and has seen 1, 182 people ever since to address issues including substance abuse and mental health, which are considered critical underlying reasons why people end up and remain homeless. The center opened on Iwilei Road and saw its first patients on March 8, 2024, and continues to take in people like T.J. Utai, 27, who grew up in Kalihi, failed to graduate from Farrington High School and more recently had been living in and out of IHS. Last week represented Utai's third visit to the Behavioral Health Crisis Center in two weeks. He was starting to believe that better things were possible once he kicks his addiction to meth and addresses and stabilizes his mental health issues, which include anxiety. Now, Utai can see himself possibly getting a job one day and, perhaps, reuniting with his estranged family. 'I fell into a rat hole, ' he told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. On the street, Utai said, 'they told me this was the place. … Now I'm getting the help I need.' The state-run center operates out of a city building and was the first of three new joint city and state facilities to open within blocks of one another over the past year to help people—many of them homeless—with their medical, behavioral and mental health issues. They individually represent new models to address the root causes of homelessness in Hawaii and get more people off the street and on to better lives. Iwilei—home to IHS, which started Hawaii's original homeless outreach efforts—continues to represent the center of new approaches to addressing homelessness. Most of the people who have been seen at the Behavioral Health Crisis Center over the past year—78 %—were homeless. But anyone can walk in and get evaluated and observed over just a few hours. Or they might involuntarily be brought in by Hono lulu Police Department officers and remain upstairs on the mezzanine level for 10 to 14 days before leaving with longer-term case management plans including treatment beds to get additional, stable help. The center also gives HPD officers a time-efficient alternative to get the people they encounter evaluated, compared with the sometimes hours officers can spend in emergency rooms like The Queen's Medical Center, said Dr. Chad Koyanagi, the state Health Department's medical director for crisis continuum, who oversees patient care at the Behavioral Health Crisis Center. In 2024 the Legislature approved the latest version of Senate Bill 3139, which allows law enforcement to take a person considered dangerous to themselves or others against their will to alternative facilities like the Behavioral Health Crisis Center. Gov. Josh Green signed the bill into law as Act 86. Last week two HPD officers brought a man in handcuffs to the behavioral health center whom they encountered in Aiea, got him admitted and were back on their way within minutes to patrol their Aiea district. The officers were not authorized to speak to the media and said they could not comment to the Star-Advertiser. In the past, Koyanagi said, HPD officers from across Oahu would have to transport patients as far away as Castle Medical Center in Kailua to get them evaluated. The number of people seen at the Behavioral Health Crisis Center has steadily grown over the past year, from 62 in March 2024 to a peak of 225 in December to 215 in February. Most of them—40 %—had mental health issues, including schizophrenia, bi polar disorder and major depression. They were followed by 24 % who suffered from substance abuse and 10 % who were having a 'housing crisis, ' according to Health Department data. Most—73 %—were men, and a plurality of all patients—32 %—were ages 35 to 44. The open-air, ground-floor observation room of the Behavioral Health Crisis Center sees clients up to 24 hours—or no more than '23 :59 ' as Dr. Angie Dickson, the center's director and clinical psychologist, called the time limit. Some only need to rest in one of 16 oversize chairs, sit in quiet watching television or take a few hours away from life on the street to get reoriented, she said. 'They just need a minute to get away from whatever situation they're in, ' Dickson said. There are no reasons someone won't be seen, such as lack of health insurance, she said. 'We take everyone.' The design of the space—and the focus on a calming approach by health care workers—was based on what Koyanagi saw while visiting similar behavioral health centers in Arizona's Maricopa County. Koyanagi thought the same approach would work on Oahu after spending years providing psychiatric care for homeless people through IHS and in the Ha lawa Correctional Facility, while also teaching at the University of Hawaii's John A. Burns School of Medicine. Upstairs in the nine-bed mezzanine level, patients can stay 10 to 14 days while they receive case management designed to improve their situations through substance abuse treatment, mental health medications and longer-term housing and employment goals. The top three floors of the four-story building will soon open as long-term housing for homeless people—or people at risk of becoming homeless—who also struggle with mental health or substance issues. Each of the upper floors, accessible from the Sumner Street side of the center, will have nine studio apartments. One will be reserved for a resident manager. The residents will have to pay rent of 30 % of their monthly income, typically through government financial assistance. The units have been built out, a contract has been executed with Care Hawaii and the first residents will move in after the units are furnished, along with other finishing touches such as the installation of security cameras. Josten Gutierres, 43, was staying at the Behavioral Health Crisis Center last week after he lost his job on Hawaii island, ended up homeless and came to Oahu hoping for a fresh start, only to end up homeless in Kaneohe, sleeping in Kaneohe District Park at night. Someone on the street encouraged Gutierres to call 988, which referred him to the Behavioral Health Crisis Center, where he began receiving medications, including mood stabilizers. He also was working to stay off of meth and alcohol, or what Utai called 'relapse prevention.' 'They helping me get clean, ' he said. 'It is tough.' But in less than a week of getting help at the center, Gutierres said, 'I feel way better.' By the numbers 1, 182 People seen at the Behavioral Health Crisis Center between March 8, 2024, and March 14 78 % Patients who were homeless 40 % Patients with mental health issues, including schizophrenia, bipolar and major depression 24 % Patients with substance abuse issues Source : State Department of Health HERE TO SUPPORT Behavioral Health Crisis Center—Opened : March 8, 2024—Located : 806 Iwilei Road—Facility : Open-air, ground-level observation room for short-term stays of up to 24 hours ; Longer-term care and treatment up to 14 days in a nine-bed facility on the mezzanine level.—Focus : Observation, assessment, treatment and case management for people who are brought in by police or voluntarily walk in for care. 'A 'ala Respite—Opened : Sept. 16—Located : In the former First Hawaiian Bank branch at 445 N. King St.—Facility : 62 beds, including 30 indoor hospital-style beds and 30 outdoor, tiny-home kauhale for patients transitioning into more permanent housing.—Focus : Long-term medical care for homeless people, including kupuna with dementia and Alzheimer's ; people in need of substance abuse and mental illness treatment, dialysis and diabetes care ; and homeless stroke and heart attack victims. Iwilei Center Compassionate Housing Kauhale / Kumu Ola Hou Transitional Center—Opened : March 3—Located : Kuwili Street—Facility : 13 temporary, portable, single -room structures erected inside an air-conditioned building until workforce housing can be developed to coincide with the opening of the planned Iwilei rail station—Focus : Treatment for 24 homeless patients at a time with mental health, memory and brain injury issues ; on-site health care with a focus on neuroscience Source : City and County of Honolulu, State of Hawaii 7 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our. Having trouble with comments ? .
