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HCR 102

URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND OFFICE OF WELLNESS AND RESILIENCE, TO ESTABLISH A STATEWIDE PEER COUNSELOR PROGRAM TO ADDRESS YOUTH LONELINESS AND SOCIAL DISCONNECTION IN HAWAII'S SCHOOLS.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Terez Amato and 14 co-sponsors

The bill urges Hawaii to create a statewide high school peer counselor program to reduce loneliness and improve student well-being through trauma-informed, culturally responsive pe

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 557).
#boe #doe #doh #hawaiistateyouthcommission #loneliness #officeofwellnessandresilience #schools #statewidepeercounselorprogram #students #youth
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Bill Summary · HCR 102

Summary of Bill HCR 102 (2026) – Hawaii

Note: This is a concurrent resolution urging action by state agencies, not a bill that would create new law. It calls for the development and implementation of a statewide peer counselor program in Hawaii public high schools.

1) Purpose and intent

  • The resolution urges the Hawaii Department of Education (DOE), in collaboration with the Department of Health and the Office of Wellness and Resilience, to develop and implement a statewide high school peer counselor program.
  • The overarching aim is to address youth loneliness and social disconnection in Hawaii’s schools, using trauma-informed, healing-centered, and culturally responsive approaches.

2) Key provisions and changes the resolution envisions

  • Design and Implementation
    • Create a statewide peer counselor program for high school students.
    • Prioritize face-to-face peer relationships, trust-building activities, and culturally responsive methods to improve and maintain student well-being.
  • Training and Protocols
    • Standardized training for participating student peer counselors, including:
    • Active listening
    • Ethical boundaries
    • Trauma-informed and healing-centered practices
    • Cultural responsiveness
    • Clear referral pathways to licensed mental health professionals
  • Roles and Functions of Peer Counselors
    • Serve as trained points of connection within their school communities.
    • Promote belonging and normalize conversations about well-being.
    • Support early identification of students experiencing isolation or distress.
  • Interagency Collaboration and Guidance
    • The Office of Wellness and Resilience to support coordination among state agencies.
    • Guidance aligned with trauma-informed and healing-centered principles.
    • Elevate youth voices and lived experiences in program design and evaluation.
  • Youth Involvement and Oversight
    • Hawaii State Youth Commission to participate in development, implementation, and evaluation.
    • Represent youth interests, gather student input statewide, and advise on effectiveness, equity, and cultural responsiveness.
  • Implementation Timeline
    • The Department of Education is requested to implement the program in phases, starting with pilot programs in select schools.
    • The timeline is extended to allow adaptation, evaluation, and alignment with ongoing state efforts.
  • Conformity and Coordination
    • Certified copies of the concurrent resolution to be transmitted to relevant state officials (Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Board of Education chair, Superintendent of Education, Directors of Health and Human Services, Office of Wellness and Resilience, and Hawaii State Youth Commission chair).

3) Who or what would be affected

  • Primary: Public high school students in Hawaii (through the implementation of peer counselors).
  • Implementing agencies: Hawaii Department of Education; Hawaii Department of Health; Office of Wellness and Resilience.
  • Advisory and oversight bodies: Hawaii State Youth Commission; potentially other state agencies coordinating on trauma-informed and healing-centered approaches.
  • Training providers and school staff who would support peer counselors through supervision and referral processes.
  • Communities, with emphasis on Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander youth, and culturally responsive approaches across state schools.

4) Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Nature of instrument: Concurrent Resolution (non-binding) urging action rather than enacting new law.
  • Action history highlights:
    • Referred to committees (EDU/HHS) and subsequently advanced through House committees (Education, Health and Human Services) with amendments and favorable recommendations.
    • Passed several committee votes, with standard procedural steps (hearings, amendments, and final adoption).
    • Transmitted between House and Senate during the 2026 Regular Session process, indicating bicameral consideration.
  • Phased rollout:
    • Begin with pilot programs in selected schools.
    • Extended timeline to allow adaptation, evaluation, and alignment with ongoing state wellness efforts.

5) Implications and potential impact

  • Positive expectations:
    • May reduce loneliness and improve school climate by fostering peer-led support networks.
    • Early identification and referral pathways could improve access to professional mental health services.
    • Culturally responsive design may enhance engagement among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students and other communities.
  • Considerations:
    • Actual implementation would depend on DOE capacity, funding, training quality, supervision, and effectiveness of referrals.
    • Effectiveness hinges on meaningful youth involvement in design and ongoing evaluation, as emphasized by the resolution.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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