Hawaiian island loses its only mental health counselor — again

Lana‘i residents on the Hawaiian island with severe psychiatric conditions lost crucial support this month when the only on-island employee of the state agency charged with their care resigned, citing a lack of resources to carry out her duties Honolulu Civil Beat reported April 24. The departure of case manager Kori Kuaana leaves no full-time staff physically on Lana‘i within the Hawai‘i Health Department's Adult Mental Health Division to help patients with diagnoses that range from depression to schizoaffective disorder manage their symptoms in between their monthly visits from a Maui-based nurse and quarterly visits from a Maui-based psychiatrist.