Goodside Health pitches school-based telehealth pilot to Silver Consolidated Schools

Goodside Health representatives presented a plan on Dec. 16 to launch school-based telehealth services in Silver Consolidated Schools, proposing a pilot at two campuses and an integrated model that combines telehealth kiosks in the nurse's office with periodic in-person "well student days." Peter Morrison, Goodside's chief strategy officer, told the board the organization is a Texas-based pediatric provider expanding to New Mexico and that Silver is one of the company’s early district partners.

Why it matters: District officials said the pilot aims to reduce absenteeism and shorten the time parents must spend getting children to outside appointments. With many families facing transportation and access gaps, the program is intended to offer same-day testing and treatment for common acute illnesses, allow kids to return to class when appropriate, and serve Medicaid-enrolled children who miss annual well-child visits.

What Goodside proposed and how it would work: Morrison said the company puts a telehealth-enabled tablet or kiosk in the school nurse's office and provides a portal where families register and participate in visits. "We are a well established pediatric provider group based out of Texas," Morrison said, describing the combination of telehealth visits, point-of-care rapid tests (COVID, flu, strep) and periodic on-campus well-care events. He added that Goodside will supply testing materials and an on‑site toolbox of over-the-counter medications for nurses to use when clinically appropriate.

On costs and consent: Goodside said the district is not charged to host the service; the company bills insurers (Medicaid, CHIP and commercial plans) and families are responsible for any copays or amounts not covered by insurance. Morrison said the company also offers a sliding fee for uninsured families. Board members pressed on parental involvement and per-visit consent — Jordan Veil, the presenter who handled registration questions, said parents would be contacted before any provider evaluation and would have the option to join remotely, come in person, or decline a specific visit: "If a student comes into the nurse's office and it warrants a Goodside Health visit, the parent will be contacted to register the student… the parent at that time still has a choice to join from a link or to come in and be there when the visit happens." The board confirmed registration for the pilot will be an opt-in process rather than automatic district registration.

Clinical scope and care coordination: Goodside said care will be delivered primarily by mid‑level providers (MPs and PAs) supervised by MDs, with one psychiatric nurse practitioner available for limited behavioral-health screening and immediate follow-up needs. Morrison described the service as a "front door" to mental-health pathways rather than ongoing therapy: "We do screenings… and then refer and support those kids in getting into the appropriate site for care."

Pilot details and next steps: District leaders said two campuses — Jose Barrios and Cliff schools — were chosen for the initial pilot because of the populations they serve and travel burdens on families. The district and Goodside did not seek formal approval during the Dec. 16 meeting; board members and nurses will continue to review operational details (technology integration, scheduling of well-student days, supply management and coordination with local providers) before any contract or roll-out timetable is finalized.

What remains unresolved: Goodside and district staff did not set a firm start date; administrators said the program might launch in the semester after winter break if onboarding and technical work are completed. The board also discussed communicating with existing local providers to avoid duplication and to coordinate referrals.

The board took no formal action on Dec. 16; Goodside's presentation was informational and the companies representatives left the meeting after questions.