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Murashige, Laura
From: Yanagihara, Joan K <Joan.K.Yanagihara@hawaii.gov>
Sent: Monday, October 05, 2015 4:40 PM COUNTY CLERK
To: Council Testimony COUNTY OF HAWAII
Subject: Testimony in support of Resolution 268-15 RECEIVED �"�
Attachments: Testimonyin support of Stepping U Initiative 151005. df Time 8.3[°JA�✓/ By 1/4
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Importance: High
Please find attached State of Hawaii Department of Public Safety Director Nolan Espinda's testimony on the above
referenced Resolution being heard in the Hawaii County Council's Public Safety and Mass Transit Committee tomorrow.
Thank you,
joan
Joan K. Yanagihara
Secretary to Director of Public Safety
808-587-1350
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DAVID Y. IGE �'
GOVERNOR
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STATE OF HAWAII
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
919 Ala Moana Boulevard, 4th Floor
Honolulu, Hawaii 96814
No.
TESTIMONY OF NOLAN P. ESPINDA
Director, State of Hawaii Department of Public Safety
In Support of Resolution No. 268-15 — A Resolution Enlisting
the County of Hawaii in Stepping Up Initiative
to Reduce the Number of Jailed Persons with Mental Illnesses.
The Honorable Daniel K. Paleka, Chair
The Honorable Greggor Ilagan, Vice Chair
Public Safety and Mass Transit Committee
Hawaii County Council
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Chair Paleka, Vice Chair Ilagan and Members of the Committee:
NOLAN P. ESPINDA
DIRECTOR
Cathy Ross
Deputy Director
Administration
Alan M. Asato
Deputy Director
Corrections
Shawn H. Tsuha
Deputy Director
Law Enforcement
The Department of Public Safety (PSD) supports the resolution enlising the County of
Hawaii in the Stepping Up Initiative to reduce the number of jailed persons with mental
illness. PSD's Mental Health Branch Administrator, Dr. Mark Mitchell, has been active
with the Stepping Up Initiative and has been key to managing and treating those with
serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI) and serious mental illness (SMI) in PSD's
facilities.
Approximately 60 Hawaii Community Correctional Center (HCCC) custodies are
currently being treated for SMT, and on average, an additional 10 HCCC custodies with
SPMI are transferred to the Oahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC) for medical
stabilization, pretrial mental health exams, or to be treated for his or her entire stay.
These individuals and our communities could benefit from a better coordinated system of
care based on the recommendations of the Stepping Up Initiative.
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