Board approves outside clinicians from ESS after public objections; one trustee registers a dissent on motion 56

The Holmdel Township Board of Education approved a package of resolutions Monday that included contracting with ESS to provide clinicians for student mental‑health services, a measure that attracted public comment and at least one dissenting board vote on that specific item.

A member of the public spoke during the meeting’s public comment period to object to the ESS motion (item 56), saying the district already employs licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) and that a job posting from ESS suggested the company was seeking to fill duties the district could perform internally. The speaker asked the board to table the motion and "take a look at the job description that was posted last week." The public commenter asked for a timetable for related work under items 78 and 79 and was told the work would not be completed before the start of school and that the district would provide timing information later.

Superintendent Dr. Cascone defended the ESS arrangement, saying the service will "represent a financial savings for the district" and that ESS clinicians can provide psychiatric clearances that district staff cannot. Cascone said the program's ability to avoid sending some students to psychiatric hospital evaluations was a key rationale.

During roll call on the block of resolutions, board member Mr. Tocillo said he would cast a yes vote on the overall package but recorded a "no" specifically on item 56. Other trustees voted yes and the motion carried.

The board did not adopt any amendments to the ESS item during the meeting. The administration said it had considered using a COPS security grant for unrelated security upgrades but that the grant did not qualify for that purpose; that was addressed separately in the meeting.