Attorney General Launches Resource for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Support

The Department of the Attorney General has launched a webpage for anyone seeking the department's help with filing assisted community treatment (ACT) petitions in family court, to provide treatment for those with serious mental illnesses or substance abuse that can render them dangerous to themselves or others.

"Assisted community treatment is a holistic legal framework intended to support individuals with severe mental health and substance abuse issues in breaking free from detrimental cyclical patterns in which they episodically become dangerous to themselves or others," said Special Assistant to the Attorney General, Dave Day.

"Through an ACT order, individuals who do not realize the severity of their own illness, as well as the risk that treatment noncompliance may pose to themselves or others, are given the opportunity to be treated in the least restrictive setting by providers committed to their care," said Deputy Attorney General Ian Tsuda, one of Hawai'i's leading ACT practitioners. "The Department of the Attorney General recognizes that many in Hawai'i face challenges with such illnesses and we
are committed to supporting those seeking help for individuals who need this level of care."

In 2013, the Hawai'i Legislature established the ACT law with the intent of providing support for someone who has a mental illness or drug addiction, who will likely become unsafe in the community, and who may have difficulty participating in traditional treatments. ACT is based in the community and is founded upon a family court-ordered treatment plan issued after a petition is filed. An ACT petition may be sought by a concerned parent, grandparent, spouse, sibling, adult child, reciprocal beneficiary, service provider, case manager, outreach worker or mental health professional.

"In Hawai'i, there have been a number of successful ACT cases with individuals suffering from severe mental illness. Having an involved treatment team is critical to the success of each of these cases," said Deputy Director of Behavioral Health Marian Tsuji. "The Department of Health is working to expand use of the law across the state."

The ACT webpage can be found on the Department of the Attorney General's website at https://ag.hawaii.gov/act_petition_info/