An Island of the Mind

The Story

This documentary follows the work of Dr. Chad Koyanagi as he guides patients through the treatment of their schizophrenia. Dr. Koyanagi has earned the title “Street Psychiatrist” for his work with the homeless population in Hawaii struggling with mental illness. We will explore his work with homeless people who have gone years without treatment for schizophrenia as well as non-homeless patients who are attempting to make it through to the other side of schizophrenia treatment.

For the homeless population that has gone untreated for many years, there is a drastic change as a result of the treatment. Within the 30 days of receiving their first dose of antipsychotics, there is a newfound concern for personal hygiene and a stronger awareness of their surroundings. This is largely due to a reduction in paranoia and hallucinations. Within 2-3 months, cognitive function is improved and patients begin to have more foresight and are usually compelled to continue treatment. This is around the time when they can begin to rekindle relationships with their family and loved ones. According to Dr. Koyanagi, one of the most rewarding aspects of his job is the exponential building of trust that occurs month-to-month during treatment which extends beyond him and into society.

Dr. Koyanagi's collaboration with The Institute of Human Services (IHS) has been featured on the local news, which earned Hawaii News Now an Emmy for their coverage of this story. We will go deeper with our documentary by painting an intimate portrait of each patient and providing insight into the motivations of each humanitarian worker.

In addition to Dr. Koyanagi's work, our film will feature the efforts of non-profits, psychologists, and civic figures who are engaged in creating a future that cares for the mentally ill. Treatment for the mentally ill does not simply end with medication, but an ongoing effort of therapy, community education, and legislation are instrumental in the success of every patient. 

We hope that bringing these stories to the surface will allow for viewers to be less alone in their struggles with mental illness and feel empowered to seek help. Schizophrenia along with other mental illnesses are often misunderstood and we want to use this film as a vehicle to better inform the public about these mental disorders to in order to inspire compassion and remove stigma.

Why Us?

Behind every successful patient story is a team of people who are pouring their hearts and souls into this effort. Dr. Koyanagi and the team at IHS has been instrumental in helping those suffering from schizophrenia on the island of Hawaii. They are the most experienced and impactful group leading the charge in helping this marginalized population. We've chosen to document this qualified group because of their positive track record of helping the homeless dating back to 1978.

The director of the film is Tony Ung, an LA based filmmaker who has been making films for over 20 years. This subject matter strikes a personal chord for him because his best friend was diagnosed with schizophrenia in their early 20's and was not fortunate enough to receive the care that he needed leading to incarceration and an unfortunate deportation. Ung has seen the homeless population explode in his city and believes real care starts with addressing the root cause, which for many is mental illness. He is passionate about making films that can impact the world at large.

Why This?

Despite only 1.2% of Americans being diagnosed with schizophrenia, it is estimated that at least 20% of the homeless population suffers from the disease. The complex nature of this disease makes it difficult to treat under our current medical system. However, we believe that more awareness of this problem can lead to a societal shift that prioritizes the mental health of citizens especially those that are impoverished.

Despite our documentary being solely focused around mental illness treatment in Hawaii, we believe this is a universal story that will reverberate to the rest of the world. We hope our film will be a positive step towards building empathy and care for a population of mentally ill people who are often forgotten.

Why Now?

We can no longer turn a blind eye to this subject matter. The homeless population is rising in every major city in America and the mentally ill get stuck in a cycle of incarceration and hospitalization with no end in sight. Dr. Koyanagi and his team at IHS are pursuing an unorthodox approach to treating the homeless schizophrenic population directly in the streets and it is working! Psychiatrists rarely perform house calls even for those with means, so the idea of performing it for the homeless population is unheard of. This revolutionary approach brings psychiatric resources directly to the people who need them the most and is a story that needs to be told!