Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 2016-36COUNTY COUNCIL COUNTY OF KAUAI 1'k C5 10 1 U t t" 0 R No. 206-36 RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF KAUAI FOR THE PROPOSED ADOLESCENT TREATMENT AND HEALING CENTER WHEREAS, substance abuse, dependence, and addiction are serious challenges facing Kaua`i's community and if left untreated in juvenile populations, could lead to joblessness, homelessness, increasing rates of delinquency and criminality, family violence, increase in healthcare costs, mental health services, emergency room admissions, and additional prison beds. These outcomes could create significant costs that consume an inordinate percentage of Federal, State and County spending; and WHEREAS, understanding the importance of developing an Adolescent Treatment and Healing Center on Kauai, Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho, Jr. has included this as a top priority within the County's Holo Holo 2020 vision; and WHEREAS, the County Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on June 3, 2015, for the dedication of approximately five (5) acres from Grove Farm to be used for an Adolescent Treatment & Healing Center located in upper Hanamd'ulu; and WHEREAS, the County of Kauai has submitted a Capital Improvement Project (CIP) request to the State Legislature in the amount of $5,000,000 for Construction and Site improvements of the Adolescent Treatment and Healing Center; and WHEREAS, the lack of on- island residential treatment continues to be a problem as there is a critical and urgent need for greater and earlier enhanced access to mental health and substance abuse services for youth, especially during the early stages when our young people experience contact with the judicial system; and WHEREAS, in order to support a full continuum of treatment and recovery services, it is imperative to re- direct or reinvest government funds to implement system- changes designed to reduce the high incidence of youth entering the judicial system; and WHEREAS, an on- island Adolescent Treatment and Healing Center would reduce the number of youth entering the juvenile justice system, serve as an alternative to locked facilities, and encourage community and family -based engagement; and WHEREAS, Act 201, the Reform of the Hawaii Juvenile Justice System, signed in 2014 recommends that resources be allocated and increased statewide to address substance abuse, mental health, and social issues, and that the necessary funding be allocated to each county for both residential and outpatient services through one of the youth- serving agencies, to meet the myriad of mental health and social needs that youth and their families struggle with on a daily basis; and WHEREAS, private insurance coverage for drug treatment is insufficient in many cases to cover the cost of residential treatment and may not cover airfare and transportation for off - island residential treatment. Depending on the type of coverage, the patient's co- payment, deductibles, and expenses for some medication make it cost prohibitive; and WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division (CAMHD) does not currently have adequate resources to provide ongoing operating subsidies for any new adolescent treatment facility in the State of Hawaii; and WHEREAS, it's estimated that operating a 24 -hour / 7 -day a week ATHC will require operating subsidies of between $267,000 to $865,000 per year, depending on future assistance from the State of Hawaii; and WHEREAS, the County of Kauai, Office of the Mayor, Life's Choices Kauai is committed to exploring and applying for grants to help fund the on -going operations of the ATHC; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF KAUAI, STATE OF HAWAII, that once an ATHC is built, the County Council is committed to providing the shortfall in annual operating funds and increasing County revenues, if necessary, for its on -going operations. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County Council is committed to pursuing additional funding for treatment and prevention from the State Legislature through either the expansion of Department of Health, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division (CAMHD) funding or other innovative methods of revenue generation. BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Governor David Y. Ige, State Senate President Ronald D. Kouchi, Speaker of the State House of Representatives Joseph M. Souki, State Representative Derek S. K. Kawakami, State Representative Daynette "Dee" Morikawa, State Representative James Kunane Tokioka, State Department of Health, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division (CAMHD), and Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho, Jr. Introduced by: KIPUKAI KUALI`I V: \RESOLUTIONS \2014 -2016 TERM \2016 -282.1 Drug Treament KK_YS_mn.docx Certificate Of Z(boption �We Oerebp certifp toat ReSolution ,0o. 2016 -36 Was abopteb by toe Council of toe (tCountp of Raua`i , estate of �Oabua{`i, Ziou`e, Raua`i , 30aWai`i, on March 23, 2016. Q�AL- until Clerk Mateb March 24, 2016 VWJ*Le--� / (Ebairman & Vre bin ®ffuer ape -Qap QExtugeb Retu5eb (Ebock x R)oo5er X Ragawa X Rane5bir0 X Ruatil X 3&apo�o X vuhimura X 190tal 6 1 0 0 Certificate Of Z(boption �We Oerebp certifp toat ReSolution ,0o. 2016 -36 Was abopteb by toe Council of toe (tCountp of Raua`i , estate of �Oabua{`i, Ziou`e, Raua`i , 30aWai`i, on March 23, 2016. Q�AL- until Clerk Mateb March 24, 2016 VWJ*Le--� / (Ebairman & Vre bin ®ffuer