HAWAI‘I STATE HOSPITAL DECOMPRESSION EFFORTS ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL CIVIL COMMITMENTS

HONOLULU - The Hawai'i Department of Health (DOH) announced today that due to decompression efforts, the Hawai'i State Hospital (HSH) has admitted the most civil commitments in more than 10 years, allowing the hospital to serve its community purpose of caring for civilly committed individuals.

As admissions of justice-involved individuals - those admitted through court-ordered forensic mental health proceedings related to criminal cases - have increased, HSH's ability to serve civilly committed individuals has been significantly limited.

Under the leadership of Governor Josh Green, HSH has undertaken a coordinated effort to reduce its census of justice-involved patients, which has allowed HSH to again admit civilly committed residents as it had historically. To date in fiscal year 2026, HSH has admitted 10 civil commitments, which is the most since fiscal year 2014.

"Treating our residents who need advanced mental health care is an essential role of the Hawaiʻi State Hospital," said Governor Green. "By carefully managing their resources and partnerships, HSH and DOH are taking concrete steps toward improving and expanding behavioral health care in our community by directing patients to the most appropriate level of services. These accomplishments would not be possible without the dedicated physicians, nurses, social workers, therapists and support staff at Hawaiʻi State Hospital, whose commitment to patient care helps improve the lives of some of Hawaiʻi's most vulnerable residents every day."

These efforts include a renewed focus on ensuring that patients are receiving the most appropriate level of care by placing elderly and medically frail patients at skilled nursing facilities and releasing patients to care on their home islands. Additionally, new approaches to fitness restoration are being developed with positive results and HSH continues to explore new options to place patients who do not require hospital level of care.

HSH is also working with the other divisions of the Behavioral Health Administration to ensure programs and services are available in the community to support discharged patients.

"We are actively breaking down silos and working across the entire behavioral health system to ensure discharged HSH patients and all residents have access to necessary and appropriate mental health and substance use services," said Dr. Courtenay Matsu, deputy director of the DOH Behavioral Health Administration. "This joint effort between DOH, the Governor's Office, other state agencies and our community partners will enable us to better care for our most vulnerable community members."

DOH remains committed to improving the statewide mental health system by incorporating new behavioral health models, expansion of services, and incorporation of best practices from across the country, including the implementation of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics.

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