Arc doesn't want repeat of 'dark' Sunday
| • | Agency warns state's care system 'flawed' |
By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Health Writer
Arc in Hawaii has a new top executive and is getting help from the state Department of Health, but past problems forced the agency to close community homes in 'Ewa and Halawa a week ago.
Lambert Wai, president of the board of directors of Arc, is starting to see the agency fixing problems that have been developing in recent years. But he said he was saddened when the agency's difficulties ended with the closing of the two community facilities, forcing nine mentally retarded clients to go somewhere else.
Wai was there when the homes shut down, helping with the move.
"It was very, very painful Sunday when we had to move out the clients," he said. "The clients cried, the staff cried. It was a very dark day in our history."
Wai, who has a 49-year-old daughter who lives in one of Arc's intermediate-care facilities for the mentally retarded, has been involved with the organization for nearly 50 years.
"We're hoping to never have that happen again," he said.
Wai had served as temporary director after former director Garrett Toguchi left. Wai said the board chose a new top executive Monday, selecting Stephen Kula, who served for 12 years as administrator of Hospice Hawai'i.
In recent years, the organization has provided residential services through 14 homes for the developmentally disabled, 11 intermediate-care facilities for the mentally retarded and four apartment buildings on O'ahu and Kaua'i.
Kula said the agency is working to convert the two homes that lost Medicaid money this year to a different classification that requires less intensive treatment programs.
"We still have a lot to do but there's no houses that we have right now that are in jeopardy."
Kula and Wai understand how great the need is in the community for a place for mentally retarded adults to live safely in a facility where they can get the care and treatment they need.
Most don't need to be placed in an institution, they said.
"They need to go to the movies and go to karaoke," Kula said.
Wai said he hopes the two homes closed this month can be reopened in the category that requires less intensive treatment and he's confident that Arc can improve to help others.
"If we were to shut down completely, it would raise havoc in the community," he said. "Hundreds of people would be affected."
