West Oso ISD votes to partner with Driscoll Children’s Hospital for school‑based mental‑health services

The West Oso ISD board unanimously approved a three‑year school‑based behavioral health services agreement with Driscoll Children’s Hospital that will place a dedicated mental‑health specialist at the district’s junior high.

Michelle Lopez Goodman, who identified herself as a West Oso alum and a senior director for Driscoll, described the program’s experience running similar contracts in neighboring districts and reported more than 8,000 sessions delivered across partner schools last year. "Our goal was to really meet students and families where they are at in bringing mental health services to the school," she said, outlining intake screening, therapy sessions and crisis intervention protocols.

Driscoll representatives said the specialist would be able to take referrals from teachers, administrators and parents, provide 45‑minute closed‑door therapy sessions, and intervene immediately in acute situations without prior parental consent when there is risk of self‑harm. They also said the provider plans to eventually bill insurers for professional charges through an electronic medical record (EPIC) configuration designed so parents would not receive bills directly.

Trustees asked about coverage limits, crisis‑response phone access and whether the program would serve other campuses; Driscoll staff said the initial placement would be at the junior high, but the model is designed to scale to other campuses when feasible. Board members also sought assurances about space, transportation and coordination with campus counselors.

The motion to approve the agreement passed 6–0. District and Driscoll staff said they will coordinate on logistics, parent communications and data‑sharing protocols and report back to the board on implementation milestones.