Welcome to the Consumer section of the Co-Occurring Corner. Here you will find information and links
about mental illness and substance use disorders.
State Mental Health Agency
For more information about admission, care, treatment, release, and patient follow-up in public or
private psychiatric residential facilities, contact your State mental health agency:
Department of Health
Adult Mental Health Division
1250 Punchbowl #256
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: 808-586-4686
Fax: 808-586-4745
Internet: www.amhd.org
Spanish language assistance available
State Substance Abuse Agency
Contact your State substance abuse agency for information about treatment and care of substance
abuse disorders:
Keith Yamamoto, Chief
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division
Hawaii Department of Health
601 Kamokila Boulevard, Room 360
Kapolei, HI 96707
Phone: 808-692-7506
E-mail: keith.yamamoto@doh.hawaii.gov
Internet: www.hawaii.gov/health/substance-abuse
State Protection and Advocacy Agency
Each State has a protection and advocacy agency that receives funding from the Federal Center for Mental
Health Services. Agencies are mandated to protect and advocate for the rights of people with mental
illnesses and to investigate reports of abuse and neglect in facilities that care for or treat individuals
with mental illnesses. These facilities, which may be public or private, include hospitals, nursing homes,
community facilities, board and care homes, homeless shelters, jails, and prisons. Agencies provide advocacy
services or conduct investigations to address issues that arise during transportation or admission to such
facilities, during residency in them, or within 90 days after discharge from them. Contact:
Hawaii Disability Rights Center
900 Fort Street Mall, Suite 1040
Pioneer Plaza
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: 808-949-2922 (TDD)
Fax: 808-949-2928
Toll-free: 800-882-1057 (Statewide)
E-mail: info@hawaiidisabilityrights.org
Internet: www.hawaiidisabilityrights.org
Spanish language assistance available
Family Support
The Center for Mental Health Services awards grants to statewide, family-run networks to provide support and
information to families of children and adolescents with serious emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders. For
more information, contact:
Sharon Nobriga, Co-Executive Director
Hawaii Families As Allies
99-209 Moanalua Road, Suite 305
Aiea, HI 96701
Phone: 808-487-8785
Fax: 808-487-0514
E-mail: susan@hfaa.net
Internet: www.hfaa.net
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which are part of the Department of Health and Human
Services, investigate some complaints about treatment facilities that receive Medicare and Medicaid
funding. For further information at the national level, contact:
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850
Phone: 410-786-3000
E-mail: webmaster@CMS.gov
Internet: www.CMS.gov
You may also share your concerns with staff at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services office
in your area, which is Region 9. The regional office address and telephone number are:
San Francisco Regional Office
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
75 Hawthorne Street, 4 th Floor, Room 408
San Francisco, CA 94105-3903
Phone: 415-744-3501
Fax: 415-744-3517
Internet: www.CMS.gov
Advocacy Organizations
Local chapters of the National Mental Health Association have information about community services
and engage in national and State level advocacy. For more information about the association, write
or call:
Mental Health Association in Hawaii
1124 Fort Street Mall, Room 205
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: 808-521-1846
Fax: 808-533-6995
E-mail: mha@mentalhealthassociationinhawaii.org
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) maintains a helpline for information on mental illnesses and
referrals to local groups. The local self-help groups have support and advocacy components and offer
education and information about community services for families and individuals. For information about
the Alliance's affiliates and activities in your State, contact:
NAMI Oahu
770 Kapiolani Boulevard, Suite 613
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: 808-591-1297
Fax: 808-591-1297
E-mail: NAMIOahu@verizon.net
Statewide consumer organizations are run by and for consumers of mental health services and promote
consumer empowerment. These organizations provide information about mental health and other support
services at the State level and are active in addressing and advocating around mental health system
issues. For information about consumer activities in your area, contact:
The Office of United Self-Help
277 Ohua Avenue
Waikiki Helath Center, 2nd Floor
Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone: 808-926-0466
Fax: 808-926-1651
Toll-free: 866-866-HELP (4357)
E-mail: director@unitedselfhelp.org
Internet: www.unitedselfhelp.org
The National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse, funded partly by the Center for Mental
Health Services, promotes and helps to develop consumer-run self-help groups across the country.
Technical assistance and materials are available on such topics as organizing groups, fundraising,
leadership development, incorporating, public relations, advocacy, and networking. For more
information, contact:
The National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse
1211 Chestnut Street, Suite 1207
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: 215-751-1810
Fax: 215-636-6312
Toll-free: 800-553-4KEY (539)
E-mail: info@mhselfhelp.org
Internet: www.mhselfhelp.org
The National Empowerment Center is a Technical Assistance Center run by mental health
consumers/survivors. The Center's mission is to carry a message of recovery, empowerment,
hope and healing to people who have been diagnosed with mental illness. The Center provides
information and referrals to consumer/survivor resources nationwide and offers technical
assistance to individuals and groups involved in consumer empowerment activities. The Center
distributes recovery-related publications and sponsors education and training activities. For
information on consumer/survivor activities in your area, contact:
The National Empowerment Center
599 Canal Street
Lawrence, MA 01840
Toll-free: 800-769-3728
Fax: 978-681-6426
TDD: 800-TTY-POWER (7693)
E-mail: info4@power2u.org
Internet: www.power2u.org
The Consumer Organization & Networking Technical Assistance Center (CONTAC), funded by the Center for
Mental Health Services, is a resource center for consumers/survivors and consumer-run organizations
across the United States. Services and products include informational materials; on-site training
and skill-building curricula; electronic and other communication capabilities; networking and
customized activities promoting self-help, recovery, leadership, business management, and
empowerment. For more information contact:
Consumer Organization & Networking Technical Assistance Center (CONTAC)
P.O. Box 11000
Charleston , WV 25339
Phone: 304-345-7312
Toll-free: 888-825-TECH (8324)
Fax: 304-345-7303
E-mail: usacontac@contac.org
Internet: www.contac.org
Other Sources of Information
There are many sources of information that you can tap. Your area mental health authority, which
is generally a part of the local government, may be useful. Other branches of your city or
county government also may be able to help. For example, the education office might have
information about help for children, and the agency for the aging might know about services
for senior citizens. In addition, your family physician or area hospital may be able to
make referrals. For legal advice, contact your local bar association. Also, your local
library and telephone yellow pages may have resource lists for sources of help in your community.
SRG-HI
12/0
Source: Retrieved 3-15-06 from www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpubs/stateresourceguides/Hawaii01.asp
Certified Peer Specialist Program
Contact Ellen Awai, Office of Consumer Affairs, at 586-4688 for more information about this program.
Dual Diagnosis Anonymous
This self-help group helps with people who are living with a mental illness and substance use
disorder. For information, please contact your local consumer advocacy group to find out the
latest information on meetings in your area.