Leaders of the state’s largest drugtreatment organization, which has an office on Kaua‘i, is working with community groups to urge Gov. Linda Lingle to release $11.3 million to enhance drug treatment statewide. The funds, if released now, also would help
Leaders of the state’s largest drugtreatment organization, which has an office on Kaua‘i, is working with community groups to urge Gov. Linda Lingle to release $11.3 million to enhance drug treatment statewide.
The funds, if released now, also would help communities move farther ahead in their plans to combat the use of crystal methamphetamine across the state, the drug-treatment official said.
“We have kept the mayor’s office (Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste) apprised of what we are doing,” said Andy Anderson, chief executive officer with Hina Mauka.
The organization has 19 locations across the state, with professionals who treat adults and adolescents and the homeless, and operates programs at 12 schools statewide, including Kaua‘i High School, Waimea High School and an intermediate school on the island.
Hina Mauka has an office in Lihu‘e where professionals offer outreach services to help Kauaians in their recovery from alcoholism and drug abuse.
Roy Nishida, the county’s anti-drug coordinator, also has been apprised of his group’s effort, Anderson said.
The release of Kaua‘i’s share of state funds appropriated by the state Legislature this year — $200,000, and more — could help Kaua‘i’s drug-treatment organizations enhance their abilities to implement the Kaua‘i Community Drug Response Plan, Anderson said.
The plan is a five-year undertaking by county leaders and community organizations to reduce alcohol and drug use on Kaua‘i.
Baptiste helped initiate the project, and has aggressively supported it. Nishida has helped coordinate various programs.
Related to the $11.3 million, Lingle froze the release of the funds pending the Council on Revenues’ next forecast, due this month.
Lingle wants to be sure the state’s fiscal state is strong enough before releasing any of the $11.3 million, said Georgina Kawamura, the state’s director of finance. “We never told any of the organizations that the funds would not be available,” she said.
The possibility of the funds being released in the future looks good because unemployment figures are low and because “tax collections are doing well,” she said.
More than a year ago, residents throughout the state spoke out about the detrimental impact crystal methamphetamine, also known as ice, and drug abuse have had on communities.
In response, the state Legislature approved Act 40, which provided $14.7 million to expand drug-prevention and treatment programs, and to help communities develop strategies to fight the ice problem.
The $11.3 million has been held up to this point, but the other $3.4 million, not under the control of the governor, has been released to the state Judiciary system under different processes, Kawamura said.
The act specifically designates $200,000 for Kauai, but more funds are likely to become available to Kaua‘i through provisions of the act, Kawamura said.
State House Rep. Hermina Morita, D-North Kaua‘i, said she, state Rep. Ezra Kanoho, DEast Kaua‘i-South Kaua‘i, state Rep. Bertha Kawakami, D-West Kaua‘i-Ni‘ihau, and state Sen.
Gary Hooser, D-Kaua‘i-Ni‘ihau, all voted to support the funding measure, and that “people should know” about the freezing of the funds.
“The funds would go hand-inhand with what the mayor is trying to do on Kaua‘i,” Morita said. “These are monies that complement what the community has been asking for in trying to deal with the ice problem,” she said.
She also said that “the public needs to know so they can ask the governor to release the funds.” Treatment and rehabilitation programs are sorely needed statewide, Morita said. “As far as the treatment program goes in Honolulu, we are trying to say ‘we can’t wait for the release of the money by the governor,’” she said.
Hina Mauka’s Anderson said it was his understanding that of the $11.3 million, $4 million would be used for drug treatment for adults, and $3 million would be used for drug treatment for youths.
Anderson also said there are 150 to 200 adults statewide who need such treatment. “The need is due to the lack of funding, not the lack of beds (for treatment),” he said.
The 150 to 200 adults needing treatment “have no insurance, and they have no resources to get treatment, and they could be treated by us and other treatment programs,” he said.
If the $11.3 million was released, “up to 80 people” needing such services could be “entered into treatment today,” Anderson said.
Some of the other organizations that could receive state Department of Health funds to provide such service include the Aloha House on Maui, the Big Island Substance Abuse Council on the Big Island, the Salvation Army Family Treatment Facility on O‘ahu, and the Sand Island Treatment Center on O‘ahu, Anderson said.
If Hina Mauka’s share was released today, the organization could increase its current client “bed” capacity from 45 to possibly 48, Anderson said. Three to four of the 45 beds are sometimes committed to Kaua‘i patients.
The $14.7 million appropriated under Act 40 that was passed by the state Legislature is in addition to the $19 million the state Legislature budgeted the DOH for fiscal year 2005, Kawamura said.
The bulk of the $19 million is targeted specifically for substance- abuse programs, and those programs will be augmented when and if the remaining $11.3 million is released, Kawamura said.
Lingle has not released the funds because the revenue forecast offered by the Council on Revenues in May was dismal.
The projections, based on a review of the next bi-ennium, from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2007, show “we will end June 30, 2005 in a deficit, because we have debt obligations, retirement and salaries (benefits to pay),” Kawamura said.
Waiting until this month’s council review is being prudent, Kawamura said, adding “we (the Lingle administration) are trying to be fiscally responsible.” Lester Chang, staff writer, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) or lchang@ pulitzer.net.
