Special Report

Hawaii's Mental Health Crisis

March 2023

Wednesday, March 8

Larry Ellison’s Company Helps Hawaii Find Housing For Key Mental Health Hire

February 2023

Monday, February 20

New Kauai Drug Camp Treats At-Risk Teens Like Family — Not Patients

December 2022

Thursday, December 29

Half Of Hawaii’s Younger Farmers Battle Depression. Here’s What Researchers Are Doing

October 2022

Wednesday, October 19

Why This Hawaiian Island Has To Outsource Psychiatric Care

May 2022

Monday, May 16

New Data Shows No Sign Of Pandemic-Related Suicide Spike In Hawaii

December 2021

Sunday, December 12

Anxiety And Depression: Youth Mental Health Got Worse During The Pandemic

June 2021

Tuesday, June 1

National Report Spotlights Hawaii’s Need For Suicide Prevention

February 2021

Monday, February 22

Suicides In Hawaii Have Declined During The Pandemic

November 2020

Thursday, November 5

Suicides In Hawaii Appear To Be Decreasing — Despite Pandemic

May 2020

Wednesday, May 27

The Other Coronavirus Crisis: Escalating Mental Health Problems

Friday, May 15

Suicides Of 4 Young Men In A Week Raise Alarm On Kauai

March 2020

Friday, March 27

Coronavirus Is Spiking Levels Of Anxiety, Panic And Stress

February 2020

Wednesday, February 5

Hawaii Lawmakers Work To Keep The Mentally Ill Out Of Jail

January 2020

Tuesday, January 21

Creating More Treatment Options in Hawaii’s Fractured Mental Health System

November 2019

Monday, November 25

Mental Health Services On Hawaii Campuses Lag Far Behind Demand

Wednesday, November 6

Searching For New Ways To Keep Hawaii’s Mentally Ill Out Of Jails And ERs

September 2019

Wednesday, September 4

Homeless Advocates Test Hawaii’s New Forced-Treatment Law

July 2019

Monday, July 22

Lawsuit Challenges Hawaii’s Termination Of Youth Mental Health Services At 18

April 2019

Tuesday, April 30

How These Bills Could Help Those With Serious Mental Illness

March 2019

Thursday, March 7

Bill Focuses On Revolving Door Of Involuntary Psychiatric Treatments

February 2019

Thursday, February 28

Lawmakers Propose Fixes For A Broken Psychiatric Care Law

Monday, February 25

When Delusions Steal Your Daughter

December 2018

Thursday, December 20

Yoga Gains A Place Behind Bars In Hawaii

November 2018

Wednesday, November 28

A Mom Struggles Mightily As Law Lets Son Defy Doctor’s Orders

Monday, November 26

Free Ala Moana Clinic Opens For Young People With Psychosis

Friday, November 9

Yoga Is Helping Combat Vets Find New Strength And Peace Of Mind

October 2018

Thursday, October 25

Emergency Help For Hawaii’s Mentally Ill Is Often A Revolving Door

Wednesday, October 3

Should Psychologists Be Able To Prescribe Drugs?

September 2018

Tuesday, September 18

Innovative New Program Plugs Some Holes In Mental Health Care System

Monday, September 17

Hawaii’s Mental Health Care Crisis

Why Civil Beat Is Taking A Deep Dive Into Hawaii’s Mental Health System

July 2018

Monday, July 16

How Primary Care Docs Are Learning To Treat Mental Illness

June 2018

Monday, June 25

Law Enforcement’s Struggle To Help Honolulu’s Mentally Ill

November 2017

Thursday, November 16

Hawaii State Hospital Wasn’t Built For The Type Of Patients It Serves

October 2017

Monday, October 2

The Disturbing State Of Mental Health Care In Hawaii’s Prisons

Larry Ellison’s Company Helps Hawaii Find Housing For Key Mental Health Hire Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Larry Ellison’s Company Helps Hawaii Find Housing For Key Mental Health Hire

Pulama Lanai held a space for a social worker that patients say is critical to their care.

New Kauai Drug Camp Treats At-Risk Teens Like Family — Not Patients Courtesy: Keala Foundation

New Kauai Drug Camp Treats At-Risk Teens Like Family — Not Patients

A scrappy grassroots group is finding success through a program that features strength conditioning, outdoor adventure and the healing power of forgiveness.

Half Of Hawaii’s Younger Farmers Battle Depression. Here’s What Researchers Are Doing Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Half Of Hawaii’s Younger Farmers Battle Depression. Here’s What Researchers Are Doing

Mental health professionals are drumming up new, more diverse ways to help struggling farmers.
Why This Hawaiian Island Has To Outsource Psychiatric Care Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2017

Why This Hawaiian Island Has To Outsource Psychiatric Care

For the first time since 1990, the state agency that provides care to adults diagnosed with a serious mental illness has no staff on Lanai. The problem is a microcosm of a statewide mental health care crisis.
New Data Shows No Sign Of Pandemic-Related Suicide Spike In Hawaii Getty Images

New Data Shows No Sign Of Pandemic-Related Suicide Spike In Hawaii

Meanwhile, the state is preparing for the launch of a new hotline akin to 911 for mental health support.
Anxiety And Depression: Youth Mental Health Got Worse During The Pandemic Courtesy: Keala Foundation/2020

Anxiety And Depression: Youth Mental Health Got Worse During The Pandemic

In Hawaii, mental health providers say they're only beginning to see the repercussions of forced social isolation and distance learning on young people.
National Report Spotlights Hawaii’s Need For Suicide Prevention Getty Images/iStockphoto

National Report Spotlights Hawaii’s Need For Suicide Prevention

Hawaii had more survey participants say they had been thinking about suicide during the pandemic than any other state.
Suicides In Hawaii Have Declined During The Pandemic Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Suicides In Hawaii Have Declined During The Pandemic

Calls to crisis hotlines and hospital admissions for psychiatric problems increased in 2020, but preliminary data shows no evidence of a spike in suicides.
Suicides In Hawaii Appear To Be Decreasing — Despite Pandemic Getty Images

Suicides In Hawaii Appear To Be Decreasing — Despite Pandemic

Experts say the preliminary data is an encouraging indicator that people are paying closer attention to their mental health and getting help.