Two State Hospital patients returned

By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Health Writer

Two patients walked away from the Hawai'i State Hospital in Kane'ohe last week, but both were returned to the state-run mental facility in less than an hour, state officials said.

Despite last week's incidents, efforts to increase security at the hospital are showing results, officials say.

After 28 escapes in 2001 and 12 last year, the facility has had only three this year, including the two last week, hospital administrator Paul Guggenheim said. He took over as administrator in September 2001.

Guggenheim said the hospital has dramatically improved patient treatment and security over the past two years. He said 10 security cameras were recently added and staff is on heightened alert because of an expanded treatment program and last week's escapes.

Guggenheim said the expanded treatment program began Monday. It requires patients leave the units where they sleep and live to attend a variety of programs.

He said two men, who were not considered dangerous, had permission to walk the grounds without an escort but lost those privileges after they left the grounds — one on Monday and another Tuesday.

Guggenheim said he believes the change in the treatment program will be a positive one but acknowledges some difficulties arose in the first few days as patients and staff began getting used to a new system.

He said the first patient was gone for 20 minutes and was walking down Kahekili Highway when hospital security tracked him down and picked him up. The second was gone about 10 minutes before staff returned him to the campus, Guggenheim said. He said one man was voluntarily committed and the other was criminally committed for a property crime.

The hospital is under order from federal court to add treatment for patients and create more residential and outpatient programs as part of a long-term plan to improve services for the mentally ill.

Guggenheim said the hospital is expanding rehabilitation for the 174 patients from 10 to 12 hours a week to 20 hours each week. Under the "treatment mall" concept, patients leave their rooms from 9 a.m to 2:30 p.m. to go to programs that include vocational skills, group games, anger management, conflict management, adult literacy and working in a plant nursery.

Guggenheim said last week's escapes are unacceptable. "I am not happy about that," he said. "People are testing the boundaries."

He said the change offers patients more of a real-world environment but admits that it's going to require more work to get it right.

Guggenheim said the administration met with staff on Tuesday and again Friday to talk about ways to improve the new system.

Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2429.