The Atlanta Board of Education (ABOE) and Atlanta Public Schools (APS) reinforced their commitment to whole-child wellness and intervention as the Board approved a contract to provide physical and emotional telehealth services for every student in the district’s traditional schools.

The contract with provider Hazel Health, approved at Monday’s monthly executive meeting, is a year-to-year agreement for $500,000 each year, or roughly $15 for each student in the district’s traditional schools. Implementation, which includes engagement with the community, training for staff and delivery of equipment, will begin immediately with the goal of all schools having access to telehealth services by the end of the 2022-2023 school year.

The district took this decisive action in response to concerns elevated during the first year of the pandemic, and the 2021-2022 school year. Last school year:

Nearly 1,300 students reported having at least one chronic condition.
25,300 students were sent home by a nurse at their school.
25 percent of APS students in grades 3-12 were elevated or extremely elevated for risk of developing an emotional or behavior disorder, based on results from student surveys.
37 percent of APS students were chronically absent. (10 or more absences in a school year)
Health-related issues are a top reason children miss days of school, a contributing factor to chronic absenteeism. (Research completed by WestEd)
Lack of funding, insurance challenges, guardian non-compliance, and provider shortages are among the barriers to supporting students.
“It is imperative that our scholars have access to physical and mental health services,” APS Superintendent Dr. Lisa Herring said. “Removing these barriers is a game-changer for us because simply put, our scholars cannot reach their full academic potential if they are not well. I am grateful to our board for having the vision to make this commitment and invest in our schools and scholars.”

Currently, two APS schools – Fickett and Finch Elementary Schools – offer telehealth services through a partnership with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA), and APS partners currently with seven mental health wraparound providers assigned to schools throughout the district: Access, Chris 180, Family Ties, Georgia Hope, Health Connect, Pathways, and Underdue. The contract with Hazel will supplement these services, not replace them.

The school-based telehealth (SBTH) service provided by Hazel is designed specifically for kindergarten through 12th-grade schools to provide high-quality services and support – at home or from school, using a computer monitor or phone – to address the mental and physical health needs of students through doctor visits and therapy sessions:

Physical health services are provided by Hazel doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician associates.
Mental health services are provided by locally licensed, culturally competent therapists who specialize in addressing the needs of children and adolescents.
Services will be available Monday through Friday during the hours of 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. (EST).
“Expanding telehealth services for all of our scholars can increase their access to care and address acute physical or short-term mental health challenges while permitting them to stay in school and focus on learning,” said ABOE Chair Eshe’ Collins. “We are thrilled to provide this service for our students and their families.”