HB1562 • 2026

RELATING TO YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH.

Budget Children Education

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: TAKAYAMA, AMATO, BELATTI, CHUN, GARRETT, GRANDINETTI, ICHIYAMA, ILAGAN, IWAMOTO, KAPELA, KILA, KITAGAWA, KUSCH, LA CHICA, LEE, M., LOWEN, MARTEN, MATAYOSHI, MATSUMOTO, MORIKAWA, PERRUSO, POEPOE, REYES ODA, SHIMIZU, SOUZA, TAM, TARNAS, TEMPLO
Last action: 2026-03-23
Official status: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide specific details about the exact amount of funding or fiscal year for the appropriation.

Youth Mental Health Digital Platform

This bill establishes a one-year pilot project to develop a digital platform that helps young people manage their mental health, funded by the state.

What This Bill Does

Establishes and funds a one-year pilot program for a digital youth mental health platform.
Requires the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division of the Department of Health to develop and make publicly available this digital platform.
Exempts certain procurement processes related to the digital platform from specific Hawaii laws.
Requests a report on the project's findings before the 2027 legislative session.

Who It Names or Affects

The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division of the Department of Health
Young people in Hawaii who will use the digital mental health platform

Terms To Know

Procurement: The process of buying goods or services for the government.

Limits and Unknowns

It is unclear how many young people will use the platform.
The bill does not specify if and when the digital platform will be made available after the pilot project ends.
The effectiveness of the platform in improving youth mental health has yet to be determined.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment establishes a one-year pilot project to develop and implement a digital youth mental health platform, funded by the state, aimed at helping young people manage their mental health.

The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division of the Department of Health will create and run a digital youth mental health platform for one year starting July 1, 2026.
The division will contract services to develop, manage, host, and market this platform, which must include county-specific resources, mental health education, self-care strategies, healthy coping methods, and data on mental health needs.
A report with findings and recommendations about the pilot project will be submitted to the legislature before the 2027 regular session.

The exact amount of funds appropriated for this project is not specified in the amendment text provided.
The amendment's effective date listed as July 1, 3000 appears incorrect and may be a placeholder or error.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: This amendment establishes a one-year pilot project to develop and implement a digital youth mental health platform, providing resources and education to help young people manage their mental health.

The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division will create and run a digital platform for youth mental health starting July 1, 2026, until June 30, 2027.
The division will contract services for developing the platform and promoting it through various media channels.
A report on the pilot project's findings and recommendations must be submitted to the legislature before the regular session of 2027.

The exact amount of funding appropriated is not specified in the amendment text provided.

Bill History

2026-03-23 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-03-23 S
Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3127) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-03-16 S
The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, McKelvey, Kanuha; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fevella.
2026-03-13 S
The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 03-16-26 1:10PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2026-03-10 S
Referred to HHS, WAM.
2026-03-06 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-06 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 19).
2026-03-05 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-05 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 847-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-02-27 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Lee, M..
2026-02-24 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Friday, 02-27-26 10:00AM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-17 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lee, M., Poepoe excused (3).
2026-02-17 H
Reported from HLT/HSH (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 304-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-02-06 H
The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Olds, Amato, Hartsfield, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Takayama, Takenouchi, Alcos; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia; and Excused: none.
2026-02-06 H
The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Amato, Hartsfield, Marten, Olds, Takenouchi, Alcos; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia; and Excused: none.
2026-02-03 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HLT/HSH on Friday, 02-06-26 9:00AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-26 H
Referred to HLT/HSH, FIN, referral sheet 1
2026-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-15 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH.
Keiki Caucus; DOH; Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division; Digital Youth Mental Health Platform Pilot Project; Report; Appropriation ($)
Establishes and appropriates funds for a one-year Digital Youth Mental Health Platform Pilot Project that will enable the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division of the Department of Health to develop and make publicly available a digital platform designed to help young people address and manage mental health challenges. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1562

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1562

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to youth mental health
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION 1.

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The legislature finds that, according to
a ten‑year study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
nearly all indicators of children and adolescent mental health worsened between
2013 and 2023.
�
Disasters like the coronavirus
2019 pandemic and the Maui wildfires in August 2023 have increased rates of
depression and anxiety in the State's youth.

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The
legislature further finds that prevention activities related to the promotion
of mental health, such as early intervention, mental health education, and
coping strategies, are critical to preventing the escalation of mental health
disorders in the State's communities, potentially reducing the need for more
intensive services in the future.

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Digital
platforms that can be accessed with mobile devices can provide a powerful
public health service, especially for youth, by:

����
(1)
�
Expanding the reach of mental health education
and prevention by making it more convenient and inclusive, especially for
children and adolescents in remote or underserved areas where in-person
programs may be limited;

����
(2)
�
Reducing stigma by making it easier for youth
to explore resources without fear of judgment;

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(3)
�
Enhancing engagement and interactivity by
allowing youth to guide their own learning;

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(4)
�
Tailoring content to the needs of the user;

����
(5)
�
Providing a cost-effective way to reach a
large audience;

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(6)
�
Addressing lower-level needs so the behavioral
health workforce, which is scarce, can focus on youth with the highest level of
need;

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(7)
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Providing information that is continuously
updated to reflect the latest research and resources; and

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(8)
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Collecting critical data about community
mental health needs.

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Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to establish and appropriate funds for a digital youth
mental health platform pilot project that will enable the child and adolescent
mental health division of the department of health to develop and make publicly
available a digital platform designed to help young people address and manage
mental health challenges.

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SECTION 2.

�
(a)
�
The child and adolescent mental health
division of the department of health shall implement and administer a digital youth
mental health platform pilot project.
�
The
pilot project shall commence on July 1, 2026, and end on June 30, 2027.

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(b)
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Under the pilot project, the child and adolescent
mental health division shall contract for the following services:

����
(1)
�
Development, management, and hosting services
for the digital youth mental health platform.
�
The child and adolescent mental health division
shall oversee the development of the platform that is evidence-based,
peer-reviewed, confidential, and responsive.
�
The platform shall provide:

���������
(A)
�
County specific resources;

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(B)
�
Mental health education;

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(C)
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Self-care strategies;

���������
(D)
�
Healthy coping strategies; and

���������
(E)
�
Data regarding mental health needs in the
State
; and

����
(2)
�
Communication and marketing services.
�
The child and adolescent mental health division
shall manage the communications and marketing services, which include:

���������
(A)
�
Development of a communications and marketing plan;

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(B)
�
Creation of ad campaign materials inclusive of
print, radio, digital, and television ads and the respective media buys;

���������
(C)
�
Planning and management of community and
outreach events; and

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(D)
�
Social media campaign and management.

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(c)
�

Procurement for development, management, and hosting services and
communication and marketing services for the purposes of this Act shall be
exempt from
chapters 103D and
103F, Hawaii Revised Statutes
.

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(d)
�
The
child and adolescent mental health division
shall submit a report of its
findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation,
regarding the
digital youth
mental health platform pilot project to the legislature no later than twenty
days prior to the convening of the regular session of
2027.

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SECTION 3.
�
There is appropriated out of the general
revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $300,000 or so much thereof as may
be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the implementation and
administration of the digital youth mental health platform pilot project.

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The sum
appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of
this Act.

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SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Keiki Caucus; DOH; Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Division; Digital Youth Mental Health Platform Pilot Project; Report;
Appropriation

Description:

Establishes and appropriates funds for a one-year Digital Youth
Mental Health Platform Pilot Project that will enable the Child and Adolescent
Mental Health Division of the Department of Health to develop and make publicly
available a digital platform designed to help young people address and manage
mental health challenges.
�
Requires a report
to the Legislature.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.