U.S. Magistrate recommends end of oversight of Hawaii adult mental health division by Federal Court

U.S. Magistrate Kevin Chang last week recommended in his 12th and final report to U.S. District Judge David Ezra that the court end oversight of the Adult Mental Health Division of the Hawaii Department of Health because of significant improvements in mental health services provided by the division, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, reports (Altonn, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 8/30).

The court has overseen the division since 1991, when the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit over allegations of unconstitutional conditions in the treatment of state residents with mental illnesses.

In May, the division avoided a federal takeover through an agreement with the court to complete by June 30 a community services plan for state residents with mental illnesses (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 5/9).

In his latest report, Chang, whom Ezra in 2001 appointed as a special master in the case, wrote, "The integrated hospital-based and community-based mental health system" outlined in the plan "is approaching reality."

He recommended that the court dismiss the lawsuit against the division on Nov. 30. Thomas Hester, chief of the division, said that the division will continue to improve mental health services provided to state residents after oversight by the court ends.

He added, "We're very close to realizing the type of system that was envisioned by the omnibus plan for the hospital and community" (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 8/30).