HI SB899

Requires members of the State Council on Mental Health to receive annual training on topics including cultural awareness, loss of ethnic identity, and Native Hawaiian healing and health practices.

Establishes training requirement in response to documented mental health disparities among Native Hawaiians, including suicide rates 2.3 times higher than Caucasian youth and twice the suicide attempt rate.

Recognizes that culturally-based mental health programs are four times more successful and that cultural incongruence with Western mental health approaches contributes to Native Hawaiian underutilization of existing services.

Amends Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 334-10 to add new subsection (c) mandating the annual training for council members.

Takes effect upon approval, with full compliance required by July 1, 2022.