ENCOURAGING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII TO EVALUATE AND EXPAND ITS CURRENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR STUDENTS.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Terez Amato and 9 co-sponsors

HR 92 urges the University of Hawaii to evaluate and expand mental health services, ensuring students have better access to support for their well-being and academic success.

Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1873), recommending adoption.

#mentalhealthservices #universityofhawaii

Purpose and Intent

HR 92 is a resolution aimed at encouraging the University of Hawaii to assess and enhance its mental health services for students. The bill recognizes the growing importance of mental health support in educational institutions and seeks to ensure that students have access to adequate resources to address their mental health needs.

Key Provisions

Evaluation of Current Services: The resolution calls for a thorough evaluation of the existing mental health services provided by the University of Hawaii. This evaluation aims to identify gaps in services and areas for improvement.

Expansion of Services: Based on the evaluation findings, the resolution encourages the university to expand its mental health services. This may include increasing the number of mental health professionals, enhancing outreach programs, and improving accessibility for students.

Focus on Student Well-being: The overarching goal is to promote student well-being and academic success by ensuring that mental health resources are sufficient and effectively utilized.

Affected Parties

University of Hawaii Students: The primary beneficiaries of this resolution are students enrolled at the University of Hawaii, who may require mental health support.

University Administration: The resolution places a responsibility on the university's administration to assess and potentially enhance mental health services.

Mental Health Professionals: The expansion of services may lead to increased hiring or engagement of mental health professionals within the university system.

Legislative Timeline and Procedural Aspects

Introduced: January 3, 2025

Committee Referrals: The resolution was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and subsequently to the House Committee on Higher Education (HED) and the House Committee on Health (HLT).

Committee Recommendations: Both HED and HLT recommended that the resolution be passed unamended, indicating broad support among committee members.

Adoption: The resolution was adopted in its final form on April 3, 2025, with a vote reflecting unanimous support, except for one representative voting no and two excused from voting.

Related Legislation

HCR 96: This resolution has a companion bill, HCR 96, which may address similar issues or provide additional context regarding mental health services in the university setting.

In summary, HR 92 represents a proactive step towards enhancing mental health services for students at the University of Hawaii, emphasizing the importance of mental well-being in academic environments. The resolution's adoption reflects a commitment to improving student support systems and addressing mental health challenges faced by the student population.

Bill