Mental Health Association in Hawai'i

Mr. Greg Farstrup Executive Director
Email: mha@i-one.com
200 N. Vineyard Blvd. #300
Honolulu HI 96817
Office: 808-521-1846
Fax: 808-533-6995

Mrs. Paula Heim Program Director
Email: mha@i-one.com
200 N. Vineyard Blvd. #300
Honolulu HI 96817
Office: 808-521-1846
Fax: 808-533-6995

Mrs. Cheryl Tsui Office Manager
Email: mha@i-one.com
200 N. Vineyard Blvd. #300
Honolulu HI 96817
Office: 808-521-1846
Fax: 808-533-6995

Ms. Kaanoi Kaapana Public Education Assistant
Email: mha@i-one.com
200 N. Vineyard Blvd. #300
Honolulu HI 96817
Office: 808-521-1846
Fax: 808-533-6995

Ms. Nicole Masukawa Program Assistant
Email: mha@i-one.com
200 N. Vineyard Blvd. #300
Honolulu HI 96817
Office: 808-521-1846
Fax: 808-533-6995

Mental Health Association in Hawai'i

Who We Are

We are a consumer-oriented, non-governmental, volunteer mental health organization. Since 1942 we have been working in Hawai'i to secure good mental health preventive and treatment services for our families, friends, neighbors and ourselves. We're working for Hawai'i's mental health.

The Mental Health Association in Hawai'i, headquartered in Honolulu, has branch offices in Pahoa, Lihue and Wailuku. As part of the National Mental Health Association we have access to program information and other resources from across the nation.

Our members and contributors - people like you - are the strong foundation which supports the unique public education and community action activities of our volunteers.

The Need in Hawai'i

Mental illnesses are Hawai'i's leading health disorders. One in five of Hawai'i's citizens (over 200,000 of us) has a diagnosable mental disorder, but fear and misunderstanding stop many of us from seeking and finding the help we need.

Mental health problems include: anxiety disorders (phobias, panic disorders), alcohol and drug abuse, depression and manic-depression, and schizophrenia.

?· More than 18,600 Hawai'i children and teens under 18 have severe behavioral or emotional problems.
?· At least 25% of Hawai'i's elders over 65 (22,000+) have mental illnesses.
?· Over 40,000 people in Hawai'i have serious depression.
?· Another 10,000 people suffer from schizophrenia.
?· An estimated one-third of Hawai'i's 9,000 - 13,000 homeless people have disabling mental illnesses.


Due to severe shortages of community mental health services throughout Hawai'i, thousands of children and adults with serious mental illnesses do not get appropriate treatment. Many live with over-stressed families. Many must live in care homes, or in rundown rooming houses and apartments. Too many end up in detention centers, jails, hospitals, homeless shelters, parks, or on the street.

What We Do & How We Do It

Mental Health Association in Hawai'i volunteers work to end the myths and misconceptions about mental illnesses, and to improve mental health services for children and adults in Hawai'i.

The needs are so great, and the tasks so huge, that we decided we can do the most by serving as advocates for mental health - catalysts for community action - rather than a direct provider of services. We identify gaps and weaknesses in Hawai'i's mental health system and recommend improvements.

To avoid conflicts of interest and safeguard our independence, we neither seek nor use state or federal funds for our activities. This allows us to speak out more persistently and effectively when we find what needs to be done and decide who should be doing it.

As a constructive critic, we evaluate governmental and private mental health services. We are supportive when effective services are being proposed and provided. We work for action when we see where improvements can be made.

Our goal is to help develop a humane and cost-effective mental health system in Hawai'i that coordinates the best efforts of public and private agencies. We urge service-providing agencies to expand innovative community support and treatment programs for mentally ill children and adults. This benefits individuals by helping them recover in less restrictive, more home-like settings. It benefits the public by reducing unnecessary hospital care and judicial system costs.

How We Do It
The Mental Health Association in Hawai'i's Finding Help program helps individuals and families find services for themselves, a loved one, a co-worker, or a neighbor. We work as their ally when needed services are not being provided as they should be. Our booklet, Finding Help: A Consumer Guide To Mental Health Services In Hawai'i, is a useful information, referral, and trouble-shooting tool.

Our Public Policy volunteers work with community groups, task forces, coalitions, and government leaders to stimulate and support actions which will bring about a complete, coordinated, and cost-effective system of community-based mental health services for all of us.

Our Education volunteers work for Hawai'i's mental health by providing accurate information about mental illnesses, mental health needs, and community-based services to the mass media, governmental leaders, and other targeted groups in our community. We strive to end the stigma and discrimination which too often result from negative and inaccurate public beliefs regarding mental illnesses. We emphasize the fact that, contrary to sensational mass media presentations, few mentally ill persons are violent or dangerous. With the right support services, most can recover completely from their mental health problems.

To help prevent mental illnesses we support and assist with community-wide efforts to combat selected societal factors which cause stresses that may lead to mental health problems.

Mental Health Association in Hawai'i
200 N. Vineyard Boulevard, Suite 300
Honolulu, Hawai'i 96817
Phone: 808/521-1846
Fax: 533-6995
E-mail: mha@i-one.com

Hawai'i County Branch
HCR 1 Box 5822
Keaau, Hawai'i 96749
Phone: 965-6601

Maui County Branch
95 Mahalani Street
Wailuku, Hawai'i 96793
Phone: 242-6461
Fax: 242-1857


The Mental Health Association in Hawai'i is a voluntary, non-profit citizen's organization which promotes mental health and the prevention of mental illnesses through education and advocacy and works to improve the care, treatment and participation of individuals with mental illnesses.

A United Way Agency