Months after its completion, state’s $160M psychiatric facility sits empty
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Nearly a year after construction was completed on the state’s $160 million high-security psychiatric facility in Kaneohe, the building remains empty ― despite high need.
The state Health Department acknowledges it’s struggling to get its newest high-tech mental health facility open for patients.
After high hopes last year, they say the soonest patients will be able to move into the new building in Kaneohe is a couple months away.
And those will mostly be existing patients ― not people off the streets.
Officials say a variety of issues are preventing patient admissions, including needed repairs or modifications and a safety plan.
That’s especially disappointing news to those who work in mental health, who say there’s a severe shortage of psychiatric beds in Hawaii. “A lot of people are just kind of floundering and getting worse,” said Dr. Chad Koyanagi, a community psychiatrist.
He said stabilizing someone suffering from severe mental illness often takes months, and the only way some patients are going to improve is at a psychiatric hospital.
The state announced in May that construction of its 144-bed forensic facility at the Hawaii State Hospital was complete. At the time, officials said they wanted to have it open by last summer.
Now ― “I really can’t give a firm timeline,” said Run Heidelberg, the hospital’s administrator.
“During our walk-through we did find some issues that we need to correct.”
Heidelberg said the problems include sloping showers, which cause water to leak onto floors. Another problem: Door fixtures that could pose a risk for suicidal patients.
“We’re waiting on those parts to come in. And it is difficult for some of those parts to be procured,” said Heidelberg, adding that some safety policies also haven’t been written.
And there’s a learning curve for staff.
“There are some training issues that we need to get through because there’s a lot of new technology in the building,” Heidelberg said.
HNN asked officials for a tour of the facility to see firsthand what’s causing the extensive delays, but the request was denied.
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