Hawaii State Hospital shows off new 144-bed building for court-committed patients
Civil Beat reported on a legislative and media tour of the new building at the Hawaii State Hospital in Kaneohe, which was designed for court-committed patients and, at the time, was set to start admitting in August. The story framed it as a response to the 2017 escape of a patient committed by a court, which showed that the hospital's older buildings were not made for that population.
The building has smaller units of up to 24 patients, many more cameras, fewer staff blind spots, panic buttons for staff, a single secured entry and a courtroom space where patients can rehearse hearings and join proceedings by video. The administrator expected fewer assaults on staff, and the state planned to hire more than 100 new employees.
The Senate health chair called the building critical infrastructure for the most extreme patients but said the harder challenge is the people who cycle in and out of the system, and another senator asked for outcome data. Existing buildings had converted classrooms and therapy rooms into bedrooms because of demand.
Source: Hawaii State Hospital Unveils Gleaming New 144-Bed Facility With A Dark Legacy — Honolulu Civil Beat, by Anita Hofschneider
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