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Windward Community College’s commitment to transforming lives took center stage at the Women’s Community Correctional Center (WCCC) on January 30, as 10 inmates graduated from the Mental Health Technician Program. Offered through Windward CC’s Puʻuhonua Program and a partnership with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR), the college coursework equips incarcerated individuals with job-ready skills for successful reentry.
“It’s an overwhelming sense of pride to have accomplished something like getting your mental health tech certification,” said graduate Tiare Kuehnl.
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’s University of Hawaiʻi transcripts. The collaboration aligns with DCR’s mission to reduce recidivism.
“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 Director Tommy Johnson.
Vital career pathway
With trained mental health technicians in high demand across Hawaiʻi, this certificate opens vital career pathways at healthcare organizations, assisted care facilities and the Hawaiʻi State Hospital. Windward CC Chancellor Ardis Eschenberg emphasized the program’s profound impact.
“Today’s 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.
Kuehnl said her background gives her empathy, and she plans to pursue a degree in psychology.
“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.”
Eschenberg added, “This is really not just about education. It’s about collaboration to make our communities and state stronger.”
