The dedication to pediatric mental health by Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) employees Renzy Baloran and Eden Sun has recently been spotlighted, as they were honored with the 2025 Emerging Maternal & Child Health (MCH) Professional Award by the Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) in a ceremony held in Washington, D.C., recognizing their significant efforts in bolstering the wellbeing of women, children, and families within the state.
Having both graduated from the master of public health program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, the honorees currently lend their expertise to the Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program (PMHCA), where they have been lauded for their proactive approach toward integrating behavioral health into pediatric primary care even as it promotes providing teleconsultation and care coordination for primary care providers, according to a statement by Matthew Shim, PMHCA program director in a recent Department of Health news release.
The state of Hawaiʻi, grappling with a staggering 47.5% shortage in child/adolescent psychiatrists, has found solace in initiatives like the PMHCA's partnership with the Queen’s Health Systems and the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Promising Minds initiative, which launched the state's inaugural Mental Health Pediatric Access Line (MPAL) offering free same-day support to pediatric providers on Maui, Lāna‘i, and Moloka‘i, and helping to mitigate the profound gap between the demand for and the supply of qualified mental health professionals.
In the face of such stark numbers, the work of Baloran and Sun, through initiatives involving training for pediatric providers and the establishment of a statewide warmline offering access to consultation from child psychiatrists, Baloran shared his feeling of collective accomplishment as he said, "This award is truly a reflection of the collective effort of our partnerships between government, community and philanthropic organizations to address the mental health needs of every child across the state, no matter where they live," in a Department of Health statement.
The engagement of Baloran and Sun within the DOH exemplifies the commitment to supporting Hawaiʻi's keiki and families, as echoed by Sun's words of gratitude: "As it is early in our public health careers, we are grateful and excited for what lies ahead as we move forward with our work for PMHCA." More information on the PMHCA program and its impact on the community can be found by visiting the DOH's official website.
