HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-09-03 Mindy Prows, DO, EHHC, Support TestimonyHILO BENIOFF MEDICAL CENTER 15-2714 Pahoa Village Rd
HONOKA' A HOSPITAL Pahoa, HI 96778
KA' U HOSPITAL PHONE ( 808) 932-3000
Y. OKUTSU STATE VETERANS HOME12,2
FAX ( 808) 974-4746
September 3, 2026
Mr. Louis Daniele III, Chair and
Members of the Windward Planning Commission
101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3
Hilo, HI 96720
Dear Chair Daniele and Members of the Windward Planning Commission:
Testimony in Support of Use Permit Application No. PL-USE-2026-000046 and
Special Permit Application No. PL-SPP-2026-000136 relating to the development of the
the proposed Kea' au Benioff Health Center
Applicant: Hilo Benioff MEDICAL Center
TMKs 1-6-0003: 007 ( por) and 127 ( por); Kea' au, Puna, Hawaii
My name is Dr. Mindy Prows. I' m an adult and child and adolescent psychiatrist, and the
Medical Director of Outpatient Behavioral Health for East Hawaii Health Clinics.
I work directly with children, adults, and families here in East Hawaii, and I see every day
how great the need for mental health care is in our community.
Right now, our behavioral health program is already caring for nearly 500 patients with just
two therapists, one psychiatric nurse practitioner, and myself as the psychiatrist. We serve
people across the lifespan, from young children to kupuna, and we simply don' t have the
space or resources to meet the need that is already here.
Across Hawai' i, about one in five adults experiences mental illness, and about one in three
high school students reports persistent sadness or hopelessness. These aren' t just statistics
to me. These are the people I see in my office every day.
And one of the most frustrating parts of my job is knowing that a patient needs a service and
having to tell them or their family that they may need to go to Kona or even fly to Oahu to
get it. We should be able to provide that level of mental health care here in East Hawaii.
I also want to clarify an important concern about this project. This is not an inpatient
psychiatric facility. No one will live or stay there. This is a regular outpatient medical clinic.
People will come for appointments and go home, just as they would at any other doctor' s
office.
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HILO BENIOFF MEDICAL CENTER 15-2714 Pahoa Village Rd
2c HONOKA' A HOSPITAL Pahoa, HI 96778
KA' U HOSPITAL PHONE ( 808) 932-3000
Y. OKUTSU STATE VETERANS HOME FAX ( 808) 974-4746
The Kea' au facility would give us space for up to 17 providers and the ability to build the
kind of comprehensive behavioral health program our community needs: psychiatry,
individual, family and group therapy, psychological assessments, and newer treatments
such as TMS and Spravato.
We already have the patients. We already see the need every day. I don' t want to keep
sending our patients somewhere else to get the care they need. I want us to be able to take
care of them here, in their own community.
That's why this facility matters, and I really hope you' ll support us in making it possible.
For these reasons, I ask the Windward Planning Commission to approve the Use and
Special Permit applications for the proposed Kea' au Benioff Health Center.
Sincerely,
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PIiitio Prows , D°
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