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An education advocacy group hopes to improve mental health services in Hawaiʻi schools

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An education advocacy group aims to improve mental health services in Hawaiʻi schools with several measures during this 2022 legislative session.

As part of its proposal package, the Hawaiʻi Children’s Action Network, in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Association of School Psychologists, plans to introduce two bills this session.

One measure proposes creating an incentive program for school psychologists in the state to maintain national certification.

Leslie Baunach, with the Hawaiʻi Association of School Psychologists, says this program will help recruit and retain qualified individuals — while also incentivizing current psychologists.

The other measure would reinstate a state requirement that expired in the 1980s.

"Hawaiʻi remains the only state in the nation without a credential for school psychologists. So we don't have protection," Baunach said. "So if somebody doesn't like something a school psych does, or they don't have proper credentialing to do the position, there's nowhere for a parent or a staff member to bring those complaints to — which is a little bit dangerous."

"The other opportunity that would allow for is billing for Medicaid for school psychological services," she said.

Baunach says re-establishing a state credential for school psychologists will not only help address a rise in need for mental health services — but also address a shortage of professionals in Hawaiʻi schools.

Casey Harlow was an HPR reporter and occasionally filled in as local host of Morning Edition and All Things Considered.
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