John Flanigan and I attended the hearing concerning the application for the Special Treatment Facility at Kaneohe State Hospital.
I was the last one to ask a question which was if the structure would conform to the current architecture on the site. The Head of the Hospital told me that there would be no new construction and the project is simply to do necessary maintenance on existing cottages. I was also chastised for breaking state law by asking a question which was not within the approved subjects for decision making.
If they had given us any details on this project it would have saved everyone a lot of time. I told them that a little more communication would have been helpful.
Bill Sager
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Sorry I didn't make the hearing Bill but it also seems like they were planning an ambush from the sounds of your report. Please be prepared to brief the board at tommorrow night's meeting.
Roy
(I intend to post the following on the blog but wanted to make sure you read it before tonight's meeting.)
In reviewing my notes on this and the materials sent to me from SHPDA I note that one of the criteria for the issuance of the certificate of need is that
"The need that the population served or to be served has for the services proposed to be offered or expanded, and the extent to which all residents of the area, and in the particular the elderly, low income persons, racial and ethnic minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and other underserved groups are likely to have access to those services."
Despite being rather lengthy, this does not seem to be a complete sentence. Aside from that fact, it would appear that approval of the application is based on the size of the population within the community of the type of people described. Therefore, the more group homes or facilities we have for mentally challenged, handicapped, abused women, or low income residents, the greater the likelihood that the application will be approved. That being the case, if we are compassionate and support group homes and low income projects in our community, we in-turn create a situation where more Special Treatment Facilities, such as the one being proposed, will be approved. While I am not opposed to this application necessarily, I am opposed to Kaneohe once again becoming best-known for the mental institution it once housed. This criteria is self-perpetuating and circular in logic. The justification for allowing this facility to be built is the fact that there are people who need this type of treatment facility nearby. The reason they cite for establishing group homes in Kaneohe is because special treatment facilities are located nearby. It seems that if we do not take a firm stand to oppose all group homes and special treatment facilities that are proposed Kaneohe will once again be known as a place for mental patients.
Roy
Good work.
Where are the mentally impaired to go, then? So what if Kaneohe has the reputation for helping the mentally disabled...it's better than being known as "drug city" in Ewa Beach!!!
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