The Greene County School District will continue with a service that has seen an increasing need across the state and the nation.

The School Board approved at its August meeting to renew an annual contract with Classroom Clinic for $13,125 for tele-mental health services. Superintendent Brett Abbotts says it is a half-day, weekly referral appointment for recommended students to see a mental health professional via tele-health, which he says they always fill up quickly.

“But really happy with Classroom Clinic. I heard a lot of really positive feedback from them last year and so looking to kind of continue that. We were one of the first districts to go with them. So they have agreed to kind of grandfather us in at that same price. They’ll continue that as we continue to do services with them.” 

Abbotts shares his thoughts on providing more mental health services for students.

“If we could ever have somebody full-time on staff to be able to kind of meet this need for us and to really, really kind of help us out (for the) long term. There is such a desperate need really for mental health services. I think we’re seeing those kind of explode as a lingering effect really of the pandemic. Ultimately I would love to see that be expanded out but we’re in a position where we’re going to take what we can get and this is it for now.”  

Students that utilize tele-mental health are referred by teachers and parents/guardians must give signed permission to meet with the provider.