HOUSTON – The Houston Independent School District is set to launch telehealth services for students due to the growing number of mental and physical health counseling needs in schools, district officials announced Friday.
In early Nov. 2022, HISD announced it had approved an investment into on-campus telehealth services and that it would be joining other districts by giving students access to telehealth services at no cost, thanks to a new partnership with Hazel Health.
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“The last couple of years have increased the demand in health services in our communities impacting many of our Houston ISD students,” said Dr. Candice Castillo, Executive Officer of Student Support Services. “We want to ensure that we are doing everything possible in our end to support the well-being of our students both physically and mentally. Providing telehealth services create access regardless of insurance status.”
According to a news release, the services will allow students to connect with diverse, multilingual, licensed medical providers to receive mental and physical health services.
The services may include easy access to medical specialists for those that have limited movement or little to no transportation, improved communication, patient portals, personal health apps and records, remote monitoring, virtual visits, and primary care for many different conditions.
Telehealth services will roll out in phases beginning Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, with 77 HISD campuses taking part in Phase 1. Parents will be able to access or learn more about these services by submitting an electronic consent form that is available in English, Spanish, and additional languages.
Click here to learn more about HISD’s commitment to mental and physical health for district families.