This year, Atlanta Public Schools spent $500,000 in its partnership with Hazel Health to provide healthcare services for its students at no cost to families.
A press release from Hazel Health regarding the partnership reads, “A school health representative can initiate a video visit with a Hazel health care provider while your child is at school to provide either physical or mental health services. Therapy sessions with Hazel Health are a safe space and are private and confidential.”
This partnership is a response from APS to the COVID-19 Pandemic taking a toll on students’ mental health.
“It is imperative that our scholars have access to physical and mental health services,” said APS Superintendent Dr. Lisa Herring in a statement last year. “Removing these barriers is a game-changer for us because simply put, our scholars cannot reach their full academic potential if they are not well. I am grateful to our board for having the vision to make this commitment and invest in our schools and scholars.”
Hazel Health offers both scheduled therapy visits and same-day pediatric care. The therapy visits can help students with stress, bullying, trauma, and other factors that can negatively affect their mental health. Pediatric care can help students with stomach aches, headaches, sprained ankles, and other physical afflictions.
The services were initially launched in November 2022 for schools in the Douglass, Maynard Jackson, North Atlanta, South Atlanta, and Therrell clusters. However, they are now in all APS schools except charter schools. The hours read as follows on the press release.
“Hazel at Home services for Mental Health are available Mon-Fri 7 AM-7 PM for all students enrolled in traditional and non-traditional APS schools.
Hazel at Home services for Physical Health is available Mon-Fri 7 AM-5 PM for all students enrolled in traditional and non-traditional APS schools.”