WAIANAE, Hawaii (KHON2) -- Health officials in West Oahu are calling the recent rise in violence in a public health emergency. Get Hawaii's latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You The Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (WCCHC) asked elected officials to recognize and help them address the problem through a press conference on Wednesday, Sept. 25. Officials at WCCHC said enough is enough after several recent violent crimes in West Oahu. "This is very personal for me," said Alicia Higa, WCCHC chief health equity officer, "I was born and raised on this coast and what has unfolded in our community has broken my heart." "Treat this as a crisis, not as the new normal or this is just a one off. This is sustained violence," said WCCHC executive vice president Nicholas Hughey. "That, in essence, makes it a crisis and when we're in a crisis, then all the conventional sort of approach ahs to go out and we have to approach it as a crisis." WCCHC put forth a roadmap with a focus on mental health trauma and resilience counseling training and requested $500,000 from the City and State to support the initiative. Expansion completed at Women’s Community Correctional Center "We've tried to fill the gap as a community health center, but we need more concerted and collaborative effort from city and state entities to be able to do that," said WCCHC chief medical officer Dr. Stephen Bradley. Rep. Darius Kila lives along Farrington Highway and said he definitely feels an emotional toll. "Every single night and especially in, when it's after nine and I hear more than three sirens, I just start to brace for whatever that could be," said the Honokai Hale, Nānākuli and Mā‘ili representative. Health officials at WCCHC said the violence on the west side is clearly a crisis to them, but impressing that on State and County officials has been a challenge. "It's not understood downtown. You can send an email. You can say this is happening, but unless you actually see it and feel it and talk to our staff, you're not going to realize the the nature of this public health emergency," said WCCHC president & CEO Richard Bettini. Major upgrades coming to Frank Fasi Municipal building "When we're going into the next legislative session. Like I think Maui was a huge ask. And I think now it's my turn to ask my colleagues how they can be supportive of 96792," Rep. Kila said. WCCHC offers support for depression, anxiety, problems, sleeping, anger or trauma from the recent events and can be reached at 808-697-3469. KHON2 asked the City and County of Honolulu and the State Department of Health if they agree that there is an ongoing health crisis in West Oahu, neither gave a direct answer but their responses can be found below: "The Waianae area of Oahu is a federally designated medically underserved area.  (This is one of many reasons the WCCHC is so important as a healthcare provider in the area). Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Dr. Jim Ireland, Honolulu Emergency Medical Services director "Injury prevention is a public health function, and firearm violence is a public health concern.  Firearm injury prevention activities recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include addressing the needs of people at greatest risk such as through street outreach and gatekeeper programs, improving physical conditions within communities such as safe routes to schools for children and cleaning and maintaining vacant lots, and addressing circumstances that contribute to risk such as safe firearm storage and strengthening economic and household security. The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) supports efforts to reduce the number of guns on the streets and has partnered with the Department of Law Enforcement in their gun take-back program through which they also distribute gun locks.  DOH also partners with the Department of Transportation on safe routes to school.  In addition, DOH supports policies that address the social determinants of health, which also strengthen economic and household stability.   DOH believes that the community best knows what it needs and looks forward to working with community leaders to support the Waianae community in preventing firearm violence." Hawaii State Department of Health