Lakeland district drafting policy for Heritage Health agreement

A Lakeland Joint School District committee began working last week on a policy called for as the district prepares to renew an agreement that allows Heritage Health to meet with students who are clients on district campuses.

“We have to create a policy for mental health services in the district because that was a condition to pass Heritage Health,” said committee member Michelle Thompson.

An agreement was approved by the trustees with the condition that a policy must be written to clarify processes for students meeting with counselors.

“That policy has to be in place before I sign the agreement,” said Thompson, who is also the board chair.

Thompson was one of two trustees who voted against approving the agreement in a special meeting in April.

“I spoke with legal counsel about the matter … Because the motion was conditional, legal counsel said it’s more appropriate to wait until the conditions of the motion are met before I sign the contract," Thompson said. "The timeframe starts in August so it’s not like we’re in a flurry.”

Thompson asked assistant superintendent Lynn Paslay to find a policy example from outside the district to use as a model for the new policy.

The draft policy will likely be available for the next committee meeting, which should put it on track to go before the board of trustees around June.

For roughly the last three years, Heritage Health has had an agreement to meet clients who are in school on campuses. The agreement has been requested by parents in order to reduce the logistical barriers to getting their children to appointments. It also reduces the amount of time a student is out of class for appointments.