{"id":228938,"date":"2026-02-02T15:51:21","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T01:51:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=228938"},"modified":"2026-02-02T15:54:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T01:54:28","slug":"windward-cc-launches-inmates-into-mental-health-field","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/02\/02\/windward-cc-launches-inmates-into-mental-health-field\/","title":{"rendered":"Hope and healing: Windward CC<\/abbr> program launches inmates into mental health field"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> < 1<\/span> minute<\/span><\/span>

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Windward Community College\u2019s commitment to transforming lives took center stage at the Women\u2019s Community Correctional Center (WCCC<\/abbr>) on January 30, as 10 inmates graduated from the Mental Health Technician Program. Offered through Windward CC<\/abbr>\u2019s Puʻuhonua<\/span> Program and a partnership with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR<\/abbr>), the college coursework equips incarcerated individuals with job-ready skills for successful reentry.<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s an overwhelming sense of pride to have accomplished something like getting your mental health tech certification,” said graduate Tiare Kuehnl.<\/p>\n

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The foundational training included three college-level courses—Survey of Psychology, Conflict Resolution and Mediation, and Abnormal Psychology—resulting in a Mental Health Certificate of Competence. The nine transferable credits will appear on the women\u2019s University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> transcripts. The collaboration aligns with DCR<\/abbr>\u2019s mission to reduce recidivism.<\/p>\n

“The Mental Health Technician Program provides knowledge and job skills to those in our custody and care to prepare them for reentry into the community,” said DCR<\/abbr> Director Tommy Johnson.<\/p>\n

Vital career pathway<\/h2>\n

With trained mental health technicians in high demand across Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>, this certificate opens vital career pathways at healthcare organizations, assisted care facilities and the Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> State Hospital. Windward CC<\/abbr> Chancellor Ardis Eschenberg emphasized the program’s profound impact.<\/p>\n

“Today\u2019s graduates bring hope and light to our communities. They are acquiring skills and knowledge that help them now and are vital to the communities they will return to,” Eschenberg said.<\/p>\n

Kuehnl said her background gives her empathy, and she plans to pursue a degree in psychology.<\/p>\n

“Working with people to help make the community better is something that I look forward to doing,” Kuehnl said. “I feel a sense of fulfillment in doing something useful with my life.”<\/p>\n

Eschenberg added, “This is really not just about education. It\u2019s about collaboration to make our communities and state stronger.”<\/p>\n

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Ten women prisoners have earned Mental Health Certificates of Competence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":228942,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[1157,71,66],"class_list":["post-228938","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-mental-health","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-windward-community-college","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t