Welcome to the Hawaiʻi County Reimagine Mental Health Crisis Response website, a comprehensive resource dedicated to transforming our approach to mental health crises. Mental health crises, much like physical health crises, can be unpredictable and devastating to individuals, families, and communities. The impact of these crises is often amplified by delays, detainments, and even denial of service, placing undue burden on the individual, families, law enforcement, emergency departments, and justice systems.

As we navigate the complexity of mental health crises, we must clarify our understanding of crisis services. These services function as a no-wrong-door safety net, accessible to anyone, anywhere, anytime. They include, but are not limited to, 911 operators accepting and dispatching calls based on assessed need, community-based law enforcement, fire or ambulance personnel, and hospital emergency departments serving everyone who comes through their doors.

However, effective crisis care extends beyond these traditional services. It also encompasses the 988 crisis lines, mobile crisis teams, and crisis receiving and stabilization facilities. Despite their significance, these services often remain inadequate or non-existent, leading to escalating costs, overdependence on restrictive, longer-term hospital stays, and human tragedies resulting from lack of access to care.

We believe there is a better way. A comprehensive and integrated crisis network is the first line of defense in preventing tragedies, ensuring public and patient safety, safeguarding civil rights, minimizing loss of lives, and preventing resource wastage. This website provides a location to help our community-specific crisis system resource needs, understand workforce demands, and comprehend the transformative potential of well-implemented crisis care.

Join us as we harness data and technology, draw on the expertise of those with lived experience, and incorporate evidence-based crisis response practices. Together, we can reshape our approach to mental health crises and foster a community where there is always someone to call, someone to respond, a place to go and resources to help support long-term stability.

RESOURCE LINKS

• Hawai`i County Service Area Board On Mental Health And Substance Abuse (4th Tuesday from 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.)

https://hawaii-gov.zoom.us/j/91366820129?pwd=R25PQlJKVUY0RkE2TGRQVGd1bVh2QT09

•  National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI)                                      (https://namihawaii.org/big-island/)

• UH Hilo & Hawai`i Community College courses                                (https://hilo.hawaii.edu/) & (https://hawaii.hawaii.edu/)

• Peer Specialist Certification              (https://health.hawaii.gov/amhd/consumer/hcps/)