Hawaiʻi state prison officials are moving forward with a plan to transfer dozens of inmates with mental health needs from Hālawa Correctional Facility to the Waiawa Correctional Facility. This shift aims to provide a more therapeutic environment for individuals who are stabilized on medication and nearing their parole or release dates.
Waiawa is a minimum-security work camp located in Central Oʻahu. While it has a capacity for over 300 inmates, the facility currently holds fewer than 200 people. Officials believe the open environment at Waiawa is better suited for rehabilitation than the more restrictive setting at Hālawa, which has faced overcrowding issues and infrastructure repairs.
The initiative comes after a class-action settlement that highlighted inadequate mental health services within the state prison system. Experts who inspected the facilities suggested that many inmates currently at Hālawa could be better served in a different environment, provided they are not in need of the higher-level care found at the Hawaiʻi State Hospital.
Despite the proposed benefits, the plan has drawn questions from local officials. Rep. Trish La Chica expressed concern that Waiawa was not originally designed as a specialized mental health treatment facility and asked for clear details on the level of care that will be available to these inmates.
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation director Tommy Johnson stated that healthcare managers are finalizing a plan that includes 24-hour medical staffing and psychiatric support for the facility. The move will proceed in stages, starting with a small group of inmates to ensure that appropriate support services are fully operational at the new location.