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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 resident and MSW student who practices as a social worker, said peer counselors and peer support models reduce stigma, encourage belonging and improve school climate when implemented with appropriate training and supports. "Peer counselors and peer support models have been proven to reduce stigma associated with seeking mental health support," she told the committee and urged members to pass HCR 102 HD1.
Ray Ward, who identified himself as a person with lived experience, an MSW candidate and a certified substance use counselor, described struggling with loneliness as a teenager and said peer counseling through tools such as the We Connect Health app helped him. He urged a culturally grounded program that centers pilina (relationships), kaiaulu (community), and ʻāina (land), and recommended a centralized state hub with local chapters and standardized training that covers active listening, ethical boundaries, trauma‑informed care and culturally grounded healing practices. "Passing this resolution would positively impact youth in Hawaii by ... providing teenagers with much‑needed peer support for decreasing loneliness," Ward said.
After testimony, the committee moved to decision‑making. The chair recommended passing HCR 102 HD1 and HR 94 HD1 as is. With no members expressing opposition or reservations, the chair's recommendation was adopted and the committee passed the measures unamended.
The resolutions urge program development, training standards, and a statewide framework; the committee record does not specify program funding or a timeline for implementation. The resolutions will proceed according to the committees' referral paths and any required agency rulemaking or program planning processes.
