Telehealth Mental Health Services

The Vendor is required to provide telehealth mental health services and interventions for students.
- Provider will deliver short-term, evidence-based virtual counseling services designed to support students experiencing mild to moderate mental health concerns.
- Must integrate services within agency Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework and coordinate with school-based mental health staff.
- Services should increase equitable access to care by reducing barriers related to cost, transportation, language, and provider availability, while aligning with agency strategic priorities related to whole child development, equity, belonging, safety, and academic readiness.
- Objective:
•    Demonstrated student outcome data,
•    Engagement and utilization benchmarks,
•    Fiscal sustainability,
•    Compliance with data privacy and accessibility requirements,
•    Continued alignment with agency strategic priorities,
•    Availability of funding and Board approval.
- Student Intervention
•    Individual telehealth counseling for students experiencing concerns such as anxiety, depression, adjustment challenges, peer conflict, or family stress.
•    Short-term therapeutic service model, typically consisting of a defined number of sessions (e.g., six sessions) with the option for clinically appropriate extension.
•    Family therapy sessions, when appropriate, to support the student’s treatment goals and strengthen family engagement in the care process.
•    Group therapy sessions for students with similar presenting concerns, when clinically appropriate and feasible within a telehealth environment.
•    Initial risk screening and safety planning protocols.
•    Progress monitoring and discharge summaries provided to appropriate school personnel with proper consent.
•    Flexible scheduling, including availability during school hours and after school when appropriate.
•    Clear referral pathways for students requiring Tier 3 services or in-person clinical care.
•    Clear, standardized procedures for discharge/termination/transfer of services including communication protocols with parent/guardian and designated school personnel (with appropriate consent)
- Family Engagement (Connected to Student Services)
•    Parent or guardian consultation sessions connected to student therapy.
•    Psychoeducation resources related to student mental health needs.
•    Multilingual communication and outreach materials.
•    Assistance connecting families with community-based mental health resources when appropriate.
- Staff Consultation Support
•    Case consultation related to referred students (with appropriate consent).
•    Guidance on identifying students appropriate for Tier 2 telehealth referral.
•    Recommendations for strengthening referral pathways and coordination with telehealth services.
- Engagement and Utilization Requirements
•    Referral-to-intake engagement strategy.
•    Family outreach protocols.
•    Missed appointment mitigation procedures.
•    Utilization monitoring and corrective action plans if intake conversion declines.
•    Historical referral-to-intake conversion rates from comparable K–12 districts.
- Data and Performance Reporting
•    Referrals received
•    Intake completion rate
•    Sessions delivered
•    Demographic breakdown
•    Presenting concerns
•    Average sessions per student
•    Discharge disposition
•    Student and family satisfaction
•    Clinical outcome improvement using validated assessment tools.