Allows licensed mental health counselors to serve as child custody evaluators in Hawaii.

The bill seeks to address the shortage of qualified child custody evaluators in Hawaii by allowing licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs) to serve in this role. Currently, LMHCs are excluded from this opportunity despite possessing equivalent graduate-level education, training, and clinical expertise as other eligible professionals. This change aims to expand the pool of qualified professionals, reduce costs, alleviate delays, and ensure families have greater access to timely and equitable child custody determinations.

Allows licensed mental health counselors to serve as child custody evaluators in Hawaii.

The bill seeks to address the shortage of qualified child custody evaluators in Hawaii by allowing licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs) to serve in this role. Currently, LMHCs are excluded from this opportunity despite possessing equivalent graduate-level education, training, and clinical expertise as other eligible professionals. This change aims to expand the pool of qualified professionals, reduce costs, alleviate delays, and ensure families have greater access to timely and equitable child custody determinations.