What's Being Discussed

Recap of a national drug policy conference: Staff will share highlights from the 2026 annual meeting of SAMHSA (the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) and a national association of state drug program directors.
New commission members: The group will review applications submitted to the Governor's Office for open seats on the commission.
Commission recruitment: Members will discuss efforts to fill vacant positions on the advisory board.
Upcoming meeting topics: The commission will plan presentations for July, August, and September 2026. Potential topics include:

Statewide coordination of care services
Residential treatment programs and their needs
Billing and reimbursement for culturally appropriate care
Virtual substance use disorder services
Prevention initiatives
Substance use and the criminal justice system
Co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions
Substance use among active duty military members

Public open forum: Community members may raise issues not on the agenda for possible future discussion.

Decisions Expected

Approval of the minutes from the May 26, 2026 meeting.
Agreement on topics and speakers for upcoming commission meetings.

Who Should Pay Attention

Hawaii residents concerned about drug treatment and prevention programs
People working in healthcare, mental health, or substance use services
Those involved in or affected by the criminal justice system
Active duty military members and their families
Anyone interested in serving on a state advisory commission