About
Hawaiʻi Mental Health Licensing Navigator
Purpose
This tool helps mental health professionals, students, and advisors understand Hawaiʻi's licensing requirements. It supports a larger goal: improving the quality and quantity of Hawaiʻi's mental health workforce so more people in Hawaiʻi can access and use mental health services.
What it covers
Associate/provisional and full/independent licensure for Marriage & Family Therapists, Mental Health Counselors, Psychologists, and Social Workers (LBSW, LSW, LCSW), including the provisional licenses and insurance-reimbursement provisions created by Act 93 (SLH 2024), effective July 1, 2026.
Who made it
Created by Dr. John Souza, Jr., LMFT, DMFT (University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa), in collaboration with the Hawaiʻi Mental Health Coalition.
Sources
Built from the Hawaiʻi DCCA Professional & Vocational Licensing program FAQs, application forms, the text of Act 93 (SLH 2024), and DCCA press releases including the June 19, 2026 implementation update. Scope-of-licensure and exemption information reflects HRS §§ 451J-5, 451J-6 (MFT), 453D-5, 453D-6 (MHC), and 465-2, 465-3 (Psychology). Always confirm current rules and fees with DCCA PVL at 1-844-808-3222 ext. 1 or cca.hawaii.gov/pvl.
How suggestions are used
How we use what you share. Your suggestion goes to Dr. John Souza, Jr., LMFT, DMFT (University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa), and is reviewed with the Hawaiʻi Mental Health Coalition. We group suggestions into themes and count how often each comes up. Summaries, counts, and quotes you allow may be shared with the Coalition, Hawaiʻi DCCA, state legislators, and the public in reports and testimony. We never publish your name or email unless you choose "quote me by name." Please do not include information about clients, anyone's health, or the names of specific people. Taking part is voluntary. This page is not run by DCCA, is not a way to file a complaint, and does not give licensing advice.
Disclaimer
Informational only, not legal advice, and not affiliated with or endorsed by Hawaiʻi DCCA. Current as of June 2026.
What's New
Added a quick human check to Suggest a Fix so bots cannot flood the idea form.
Added Suggest a Fix: public idea form, What we are hearing themes, and admin tools for coding, counts, export, and draft briefs.
Reorganized two browsing pages so they are easier to scan. Forms & Links now uses category-based menus for application forms and important links, and License Reference uses a filter card with Profession and Level menus that shows matching licenses once you choose (with a "Show all licenses" option). Search still works the same on both pages.
Revamped the home page for a simpler, less overwhelming first impression. The page now leads with a single clear starting point and moves detailed Act 93 and reimbursement information into collapsible sections.
Clarified Act 93 'social work intern' terminology on the Home reimbursement card — noting it refers to MSW-holders accumulating post-master's clinical hours toward LCSW licensure, distinct from the new associate licenses. Added a license status-check tip to the Forms & Links Act 93 box with MyPVL search codes MFTP0 (associate MFT) and MHCP0 (associate MHC).
Updated all DCCA links to point to the respective board and program pages (MFT, MHC, Psychology, Social Work) instead of specific form PDFs, to ensure users always see the most current content. Updated Form records, Timeline page links, and the AI assistant's canonical URL list.
Added scope-of-licensure and exemption panels to the Reference and License Detail pages for MFT (HRS §§ 451J-5/6), MHC (HRS §§ 453D-5/6), and Psychology (HRS §§ 465-2/3), based on the DCCA June 19, 2026 press release. Includes who must be licensed, who is exempt, and a direct PVL contact line. Updated About page sources to cite the press release and relevant statutes.
Added PDF download to the Licensing Timeline — exports the full milestone table with estimated dates, details, and fees for any selected profession and graduation date.
Added Licensing Timeline page — visual step-by-step roadmap to licensure for MFT, MHC, Psychology, and all three Social Work paths (LBSW, LSW, LCSW), with milestone cards showing required hours, fee breakdowns, supervision notes, and direct links to DCCA and exam boards. Clarified 'supervision' field on full/independent licenses to prevent confusion. Verified and corrected professional association URLs.
Added Professional Associations section to Forms & Links page (HIAMFT, HPA, NASW-HI, HCA). Added PDF download feature to the License Comparison page.
Added AI Licensing Assistant — ask questions about Hawaiʻi mental health licensing, statutes, and forms from the home page and Forms & Links page.
First complete version: wizard, reference, comparison, fee calculator, forms & links, reimbursement explainer, and about page.