District staff present teletherapy pilot under mental-health grant for students and staff

Rapid City Area Schools staff presented an informational plan Feb. 4 to pilot a teletherapy service, ReachOut, as part of a recently awarded mental-health grant.

Roxanne Engle, the district's prevention specialist, told the board she had been working with the district grant writer and counselors to evaluate options. Under the proposal, students could contact ReachOut's trained counselors by text, call or video 24 hours a day; the vendor also provides staff access. The district would receive aggregate usage statistics (number of contacts) but not identifying information for callers, Engle said. The vendor offered a six-month pilot (administration suggested Feb. 1 through July) before a standard one-year contract.

Engle said the service is not intended to replace ongoing therapy; it is intended for immediate support outside school hours when students and staff cannot access on-site counseling. She said the vendor follows established crisis protocols similar to 988 and that the district would set follow-up procedures to link students to local resources when necessary.

Board members asked about parental notice and legal safeguards. Engle said parents would be informed, and that the district had reviewed data-sharing and FERPA considerations; staff would determine how follow-ups would be routed to school counselors in accordance with district protocols. Acting Superintendent Dr. Corey Strasser commended the proposal as an additional option to support students and staff.

Administration said it planned to work with the grant writer and the vendor to finalize implementation details and communications materials; staff estimated they could implement a pilot within approximately two weeks after final approvals and clarity on logistics.