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Committees back statewide peer counselor program to tackle youth loneliness in Hawaii schools
Summary
A joint House committee adopted HCR 102 HD1 and HR 94 HD1 urging the Department of Education, with the Department of Health and Office of Wellness and Resilience, to establish a statewide peer counselor program to reduce youth loneliness and social disconnection; two remote witnesses—Katie A. Smith and Ray Ward—testified in strong support.
The House committees on Human Services and on Health met jointly on April 7, 2026, and voted to adopt HCR 102 HD1 and HR 94 HD1, which urge the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Health and the Office of Wellness and Resilience, to establish a statewide peer counselor program to address youth loneliness and social disconnection in Hawaii schools.
The chair read supporter lists that included the Department of Education and the Office of Wellness and Resilience. Two remote witnesses testified in support. Katie A. Smith, a Kailua‑Kona…
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