Atlanta — All Atlanta Public Schools students now have access to physical and emotional telemedicine services.

At a meeting Monday, the Atlanta School Board and school district approved a contract to provide these services to all students in the district’s traditional schools.

The contract with health care provider Hazel Health is an annual contract for $500,000 annually, or about $15 per student in the district’s traditional schools, according to the district.

Implementation of these services will begin immediately, according to the district, with the goal of having all schools have access to telemedicine services by the end of the 2022-2023 school year.

The district says it was taken in response to health concerns that rose during the first year of the pandemic and the 2021-2022 school year.

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About 1,300 students reported having at least one chronic illness, and 25,300 students were sent home by school nurses, according to the district. Additionally, based on the results of a student survey, her 25% of students in grades 3 through 12 in the school district were at high or very high risk of developing affective or behavioral disorders. understood.

Lack of funds, insurance issues, parental non-compliance, and lack of providers are among the barriers to supporting students, according to the school district.

“It is imperative that our scholars have access to physical and mental health services,” said APS Superintendent Dr. Lisa Haring. “Removing these barriers is a game changer for us because, simply put, our scholars cannot reach their full academic potential if they are unwell. We thank our board for their vision to do so and to invest in our schools and academics.”

Two APS schools, Fickett and Finch Elementary Schools, currently offer telemedicine services through a partnership with Children’s Health Care of Atlanta, and APS partners currently provide seven mental health services assigned to schools across the district. We partner with a health wraparound provider. According to the district, the Hazel deal complements these services, not replaces them.

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Physical health services are provided by Hazel’s doctors, nurses and physician associates.

Mental health services are provided by locally licensed and culturally competent therapists who specialize in addressing the needs of children and adolescents.

Service is available Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.

“Expanding telemedicine services to all scholars will increase access to care and help them stay in school and focus on learning while addressing serious physical or short-term mental health challenges. We can do that,” said ABOE Chair Eshe Collins. “We are delighted to be able to offer this service to students and their families.”

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