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West Oso ISD board approves three-year telehealth services agreement
Summary
The West Oso ISD Board of Trustees voted to approve a three-year service agreement with National Telehealth Solutions to provide 24/7 mental-health telehealth services to students, staff and household members at no district cost, contingent on federal allocation funding.
The West Oso Independent School District Board of Trustees approved a three-year service agreement with National Telehealth Solutions to provide telehealth mental-health services for students, staff and households.
The unanimous 7-0 vote came after a presentation by David Patrick, CEO of National Telehealth Solutions, who described the service as a districtwide, 24/7 mental-health access program that includes telephonic counseling, scheduled therapy sessions and pediatric behavioral health and psychiatry services for infants through age 17. Board members asked about wait times, funding and confidentiality before voting.
The board’s approval authorizes the district to enter into a contract that would begin May 1, 2025, and run through May 30, 2028. National Telehealth Solutions said the program can be implemented at no out-of-pocket cost to the district by applying for and securing federal allocations; the company will assist in preparing and submitting the funding requests. Presenters and district staff said the agreement uses allocated federal funds and that, if allocations cannot be obtained, the contract becomes null and void.
Board members asked how quickly students and staff could access care; Patrick said initial consultations are typically reached in under 10 seconds and scheduled therapy appointments average about two days. Board members also asked how anonymous access and parental consent would be handled; presenters said the service follows applicable privacy laws and that reporting to the district would be configurable during implementation. Several trustees emphasized they want clear implementation steps and reporting before full rollout.
The motion to approve the agreement was made by Lehi Gutierrez and seconded by Belinda Gonzales. The board voted with the following clear ayes recorded during roll call: Lehi Gutierrez, Shirley Jordan, Priscilla Bella, Albert (last name on roll), Melinda Gonzales, Oscar Arredondo and Velma Rodriguez. The vote was announced as passing 7-0.
District staff and the vendor will next finalize the contract, begin the funding-request process and schedule implementation tasks and reporting procedures before district launch.
