The Hawaii Department of Health announced the opening of the Hawaii State Hospital New Patient Facility.
On April 13, approximately 30 patients moved to the new facility from the 70-year-old Guensburg Building, according to the Office of Gov. David Ige (D-HI).
“This is a day that we’ve been looking forward to for more than 20 years,” Hawaii State Hospital Administrator Ronald “Run” Heidelberg said, according to the Office of the Governor. “The New Patient Facility creates a therapeutic, healing environment in a forensic psychiatric facility. We will continue to prioritize staff and patient safety as the phased move-in continues.”
The Department of Health completed staff training, and the Department of Accounting and General Services oversaw the overall move-in.
The new facility offers a far-ranging list of operations, including patient care units, therapy and treatment facilities, outdoor courtyards, admissions and transfer suites, building support functions and office spaces.
Hawaii State Hospital issued a statement during the construction phase, saying the hospital is "on a new path forward to enhance the safety and security of its patients, employees and the surrounding community. For years, the design of the psychiatric hospital was unable to keep pace with the ever-increasing patient population and high percentage of high-risk forensic patients. Hawaii State Hospital, by law, must accept all patients ordered by the judicial court system to be admitted for evaluation, care and custody."
The hospital says the expansion plan has been talked about for years, and in 2018 the State of Hawaii Department of Accounting and General Services awarded $140 million in funding to expand the facility.