Western Tidewater CSB outlines school-based mental-health services, consent process to Isle of Wight board

Samantha Lido, clinical services supervisor at the Western Tidewater Community Services Board, told the Isle of Wight County School Board on April 10 that her agency provides a range of in‑school mental‑health supports and case management for students and families across its catchment.

The presentation focused on the board’s School Intervention Program (referred to in the meeting as SCIP or Skip), which Lido said delivers case management and outpatient therapy directly inside participating schools to reduce barriers such as transportation and scheduling. "We are the single point of entry and leading authority in mental health and developmental services in our catchment," Lido said, describing the board’s Suffolk, Franklin, Isle of Wight and Southampton locations and the Isle of Wight counseling center.

Why this matters: Board members asked detailed questions about how students start receiving services and how parental consent is obtained. Lido described multiple entry paths, including same‑day access when parents bring a child to the center, and school‑initiated referrals after school staff notify parents. She emphasized that services do not start until required consents and an assessment are completed. "So definitely nothing going on, prior to those consent pieces falling into place," she said.

Program scope and services: Lido listed core components delivered through Skip at schools: case management, outpatient therapy, and connections to medication management, crisis stabilization (BRIDGES) and the Extended Community Crisis Stabilization program (ECCS). Skip staff also provide short‑term de‑escalation and resource navigation in crisis situations. Lido said Skip currently operates in four Isle of Wight schools: Westside Elementary, Smithfield Middle School, Smithfield High School and Windsor High School.

Referral steps and limits: According to Lido, referrals from schools require the school to contact the parent and obtain consent, submit a referral form to Skip staff, and then the Skip scheduling team contacts parents to set an assessment appointment; no in‑school services begin until that assessment with the parent is completed. She said Skip can also provide community‑based services to students from schools where Skip is not embedded, using case management or outpatient therapy from the Isle of Wight counseling center.

Board response and next steps: Superintendent Dr. Paul Kramer and several board members thanked Western Tidewater staff for the work and noted the value of on‑site services to reduce burdens on guidance counselors. Lido said the agency aims to expand school‑based coverage and continue coordination with guidance staff and families. The presentation was informational; the board did not take formal action.