A plan for a 16-bed special treatment facility for the mentally ill near 'Aikahi Elementary School is raising the ire of nearby residents.

The facility would be operated by the for-profit CARE Hawaii Inc. under contract with the Hawai'i State Hospital out of two existing homes at 110 Kane'ohe Bay Drive.

About 100 people attended a neighborhood meeting on the issue Thursday night at 'Aikahi Elementary School, where a number of residents voiced their disapproval of the plan.

Claudine Tomasa, a member of the Kailua Neighborhood Board who lives near the planned facility, said the property is across the street from the elementary school, next to the 'Aikahi Playground and four doors down from a parent participatory preschool.

It is also near the Aikahi Gardens condominium complex, which is home to many families with young children, Tomasa said.

"These are seriously mentally ill patients," she said. "It's obvious they need to be watched around the clock."

Tina McLaughlin, president of CARE Hawaii, said the facility is a voluntary program in which applicants must "demonstrate they are working toward recovery from mental illness."

McLaughlin said, however, that trained security is provided 24 hours and that neither sex offenders nor violent individuals will be housed at the site.

"From that standpoint, there is nothing to fear," she said.

The Department of Health's Health Planning and Development Agency has scheduled a public informational hearing for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Room 204 of the Leiopapa A Kamehameha State Office Tower.

Health Department spokeswoman Janice Okubo said a decision on a certificate of need is expected in the next 30 days although technically, the agency has 90 days from the Aug. 9 application date to make a decision.

The facility would replace an existing 22-bed facility located on the grounds of the state hospital that is being converted for use by a separate hospital program.

Okubo said the public will be welcome to offer comments at Tuesday's meeting. She stressed, however, that the certificate process looks at 12 criteria points related to the need for a facility, but "does not address the appropriateness of a location."

She added: "They legally cannot take that into consideration."

Care Hawaii must also still obtain a license from the Health Department's Office of Health Care Assuranc to operate, Okubo said.

State Rep. Cynthia Thielen, R-50th (Kailua, Kane'ohe Bay), who hosted Thursday night's meeting, said the proposal is too big and inappropriate for the site.

"The concern is the overcrowding will be very stressful for the mentally ill patients," Thielen said. "The other concern is because they're splitting the care into two houses, they're going to have inadequate staffing in case of any violence or other disturbances."

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com.