At a recent legislative hearing, two voices illustrated what delayed mental health care means for Hawaiʻi families — especially on the neighbor islands.
In testimony before lawmakers, a community member described the loss of two cousins to suicide. She emphasized that neither was able to access care in time, pointing to delays many families in Hawaiʻi know too well — long waits, limited access to prescribers, and missed opportunities for early intervention. She did not claim that a single policy change would prevent every tragedy, but she made one thing clear: when access is delayed, the consequences can be lasting.
Mayor Derek Kawakami of Kauaʻi, who also testified, spoke from years of public service and personal loss. He shared that he had lost numerous friends and family members to suicide and mental health crises. Notably, Mayor Kawakami acknowledged that he had not supported prescriptive authority for psychologists in the past. His testimony reflected a shift rooted in the realities of the communities he represents — places where psychiatric prescribers are scarce and timely access to care is limited.
He was also clear that the proposal is not a cure-all, but that areas with persistent shortages must be allowed to consider realistic solutions. That is why allowing specially trained psychologists to prescribe medications — as part of comprehensive mental health care — is one practical option now being discussed…