Superintendent seeks renewal of Advantage Behavioral Health contract to fund two student mental-health clinicians

Superintendent staff recommended adding the renewal of a contract with Advantage Behavioral Health Systems to the district's July 8 consent agenda to continue funding two student mental-health clinicians for the 2025'26 school year.

Ms. Zimmer, recovery coordinator at Appalachian High School, has been working on the AEAP grant that funds the positions, and staff told the board that the first clinician began in mid-March and has been building a caseload, including meeting with students during the summer. The second clinician is scheduled to start during preplanning in July and is coming from Augusta, Georgia.

Nut graf: Funding for the two clinician positions is through the AEAP grant (described in the meeting as the Anti Terrorism and Emergency Assistance Program). The superintendent recommended renewing the Advantage Behavioral Health Systems contract with a maximum price of $170,000 for the 2025'26 school year.

Board comments and clarifications: A board member asked whether the contract includes psychological testing; staff answered it does not and that the contract covers therapy only. The superintendent asked for a motion to place the contract renewal on the July 8 consent agenda; the board agreed to move the item forward.

Ending: Staff requested the item be placed on the July 8 consent agenda for formal approval; the board consented to move it to the agenda.