Bill > HB688

This bill establishes a three-year Rural Community Health Worker Pilot Program administered by the Hawaii Department of Health to support community health workers (CHWs) in rural areas. CHWs are defined as trusted community members who serve as liaisons between healthcare services and residents, helping to build relationships, facilitate service access, and improve healthcare delivery. The program will require a nonprofit organization to recruit, train, and supervise CHWs, with specific requirements including having a board and staff primarily composed of rural community residents. CHWs will provide services such as health education, individual support, cultural competency, and data collection in rural communities, focusing on areas served by critical access hospitals. The program mandates interim reports to the legislature in 2026, 2027, and 2028, and a final report in 2029 that will include a recommendation on whether to continue the pilot program. The bill appropriates funds for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to support the program, which is designed to address social determinants of health and improve healthcare access in underserved rural communities by leveraging the unique community knowledge and trust of local health workers.

Health and Social Services

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=688&year=2026