Lakeland School Board denies mental health contracts

RATHDRUM — Lakeland School Board trustees voted 3-2 Wednesday night to decline contracts with two mental health agencies that would have expanded free counseling services for students at no cost to the district.

Chair Michelle Thompson, Vice Chair Ramona Grissom and Trustee David Quimby voted against approving the contracts with Up North Counseling and Dragonfly Counseling. Trustees Bob Jones and Randi Bain voted to approve them, which was in line with Superintendent Lisa Arnold's recommendation. No discussion was held.

Grissom said the board is totally focused on Lakeland's supplemental levy. She declined to comment on why she voted against the free counseling services but said concerned community members are welcome to contact her. Her email is ramona.grissom@lakeland272.org.

Heather Hamilton, lead school counselor for the district, prepared the memorandums of understanding with the agencies with the goal to offer additional support units to Lakeland families. The district currently has one provider from Heritage Health. A second Heritage Health provider departed from the district over the summer. 

Hamilton said Heritage Health had offered for students to see providers off-campus in a clinic setting, but many families were unable to pursue those options due to barriers. 

"That speaks to the reason we have these services in the first place," Hamilton said Thursday. "Some families are not able to access therapy services for their students outside of school."

Heritage Health has provided counseling services for Lakeland students, with no charge to the school district, since May 2018. During the 2023-24 school year, nearly 70 students used those services, 27 were on the waiting list and 113 requested those services.

About 30 students are receiving services at this time since the departure of a second provider.

"The high schools have not had a therapist, and the current therapist is at capacity; he has a full caseload, so he can't take on any more clients," Hamilton said. "The need is far too great for the one provider. We are having difficulties meeting the need in all of our buildings."

Hamilton expressed concern about what lack of services could mean for Lakeland's students and families. She said children's abilities to engage in instruction and to be successful at school can be negatively affected if they are experiencing mental health issues.

"It can also interfere with other students' success," she said.

This was the second time the contracts were presented to the board following a discussion that was tabled at a previous meeting.

Arnold said she was taken off guard when the board majority voted against the contracts after staff had been directed by the board to ensure the contracts mirrored the agreement the district has with Heritage Health. The district's legal team had also reviewed the documents.

"I was actually shocked that they didn’t pass and there was no more discussion, and it happened very quickly," Arnold said Friday.

With no discussion held, she said she doesn't know what the reasoning was for the board majority's decision to vote down the contracts. It may have been because one of the agencies does not accept Medicaid, but the trustees said nothing at all.

Arnold said the school district is not involved in the counseling; it simply provides private, on-campus locations for students to receive services.

She said students are out of school for a few hours if they receive services in Coeur d'Alene, considering travel time and the length of the session. Having students receive services on campus prevents a loss of educational time.

"They’re out of school for almost three times as much as they would be if they were on campus, so that’s a big concern," Arnold said.

She said she is saddened by the board's decision to refuse these free services for Lakeland families.

"I really believe parents should be able to make decisions for their own kids," Arnold said. "I struggle when parents are making decisions for other people’s kiddos."

According to district acuity tracking data, suicidal ideation protocols were required 89 times in Lakeland schools in the 2023-24 school year and 11 hospital referrals were made. Heritage Health services were used by 24 elementary school students, 16 middle school students and 33 high schoolers.

CEO Mike Baker said Heritage Health is all in for Lakeland.

"We’re absolutely committed," he said. "We want to be there in the schools, but what we’re really struggling with is finding a model that works."

He said the school district will do what the school district will do.

"It truly takes a village to raise kids," Baker said. "We need to find creative solutions that get services to the kids when they need them."

He said Heritage Health would love to help where it can.

"Our kids need help and the districts need to find a way to navigate this landscape that can be so challenging," he said.

Attempts to reach Thompson and other board members were not returned.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or behavioral health, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.