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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.C.R. NO. |
170 |
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THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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HOUSE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ENSURE THAT EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL AND PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL IN THE STATE, FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWELVE, HAS A CERTAIN NUMBER OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.
WHEREAS, the State is experiencing an acute mental health crisis among children and youth; and
WHEREAS, school psychologists provide direct and indirect support to evaluate and address students' intellectual development, academic success, social-emotional learning, and mental and behavioral health; and
WHEREAS, school counselors counsel students and parents, evaluate students' abilities, address learning problems, and assist students in career and personal development; and
WHEREAS, school psychologists and school counselors are crucial to supporting the mental health and well-being of students in school; and
WHEREAS, the National Association of School Psychologists recommends a ratio of one psychologist to five hundred students; and
WHEREAS, the American School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of one school counselor to two hundred fifty students; and
WHEREAS, public schools and public charter schools in the State presently do not meet the recommendations by the National Association of School Psychologists; and
WHEREAS, ensuring adequate staffing levels of mental health professionals consistent with recommended ratios will provide Hawaii's keiki with critical support needed to address the ongoing mental health crisis; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Education is urged to ensure that each public school and public charter school in the State, from kindergarten through grade twelve, employs, or retains under contract, at least one mental health professional for every two hundred fifty students enrolled; provided that if a public school has fewer than two hundred fifty students enrolled, the school is urged to employ or retain under a contract at least one mental health professional; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that "mental health professional" under this concurrent resolution means:
(1) A licensed mental health counselor, as defined in section 453D-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes;
(2) A psychologist licensed to practice psychology under chapter 465, Hawaii Revised Statutes;
(3) A person employed as a school psychologist pursuant to section 465-3(a)(3), Hawaii Revised Statutes;
(4) A social worker, as defined in section 467E-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes; or
(5) A social worker exempt from licensure pursuant to section 467E-6(2), Hawaii Revised Statutes; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to cooperate with other state agencies, as appropriate, to ensure adequate staffing levels of mental health professionals in public schools and public charter schools; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to submit a report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2025, detailing the progress made toward meeting the benchmark of each public school and public charter school in the State, from kindergarten through grade twelve, employing or retaining under contract, the number of mental health professionals set forth in this concurrent resolution; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Education; Superintendent of Education; and Executive Director of the State Public Charter School Commission.
DOE; Public Schools; Public Charter Schools; K-12; Mental Health Professionals; School Counselors; Psychologists; School Psychologists; Social Workers; Report to Legislature