Bill > SCR44

This concurrent resolution urges the Department of Education, Department of Health, and the Office of Wellness and Resilience to create a statewide peer counselor program for high school students in Hawaii to combat increasing youth loneliness and social disconnection, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and are linked to serious mental health issues like anxiety and depression, particularly among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander youth. The program aims to leverage the fact that students often feel more comfortable seeking support from peers and will involve training student peer counselors in skills like active listening, ethical boundaries, and trauma-informed practices, enabling them to act as trusted points of connection within their schools to promote well-being and identify students in distress, with the Office of Wellness and Resilience providing guidance and the Hawaii State Youth Commission ensuring youth voices are heard in the program's development and evaluation.

Education

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SCR&billnumber=44&year=2026