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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> To: Honorable County Council Members <br /> <br /> From: Roslyn Cohen, RN, BC, MSN <br /> Hawaii County Service Area Administrator <br /> Adult Mental Health Division <br /> Department of Health <br /> rscoheng.amhd.health.state.hi.us <br /> 960-5065 (cell) <br /> <br /> Date: November 13, 2006 <br /> Re: Resolution # 511-06 Licensure for Friendly Place in Kona <br /> <br /> Dearest Council Members: <br /> <br /> I am writing to voice my strong support to license the Office for Social Ministry (OSM) <br /> <br /> as program operator for the Friendly Place. Community stakeholders, including clients, service <br /> <br /> providers, advocates, and businesses have long awaited a resource center in Kona to serve as a <br /> <br /> "one-stop" shop for the nutritional, hygiene, correspondence, and referral needs for the homeless. <br /> <br /> As Service Area Administrator monitoring and overseeing many of the mental health and <br /> <br /> substance abuse services, I ask you to vote "yes" as I have observed OSM administration, <br /> <br /> management, and line staff to be responsible, reliable, and safety-conscious in intervening with <br /> <br /> some of the sickest and neediest members of our communities. As a psychiatric-mental health <br /> <br /> and addictions RN providing clinical care for I 1 years at Kona Community Hospital and <br /> <br /> outpatient case management services, I ask that you vote "yes" because individuals with mental <br /> <br /> illness and substance use problems can and do recover but often need a "hand up" after suffering <br /> <br /> socioeconomic and other losses as consequences of their illness or lack of treatment. <br /> <br /> And last, as a community member who is grateful to have lived, worked, and raised <br /> <br /> my children in Kona, I ask you to approve this resolution to reduce the expensive consequences <br /> <br /> of homelessness, including increased use of hospitals, jails, and prisons. <br />