When they reconvene next January, Hawaii legislators are likely to be looking at a proposal for a $150 million addition to the State Hospital.

And the state Department of Health is also looking to partner with Avalon Health Care for the construction of a behavioral health addition for people with less-severe afflictions.

The expansions are “long overdue,” Dr. Mark Fridovich says in the latest edition of the Pod Squad.

Fridovich, chief of the Department of Health’s Adult Mental Health Division, joined host Chad Blair and reporter Nathan Eagle to discuss why the State Hospital needs to grow and what the expansions would mean for the overall state of mental health services in the islands — especially if they could be coupled with an improvement in services for people once they leave the hospital.

Hit the play button to hear the discussion or subscribe to the Civil Beat Pod Squad on iTunes or Stitcher.

The latest Pod Squad installment features, from left, Chad Blair, Dr. Mark Fridovich and Nathan Eagle.

Cory Lum/Civil Beat

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