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Bledsoe County board approves one-year MOU with Health Connect America after debate over counseling quality
Summary
The Bledsoe County Board of Education approved a one-year memorandum of understanding with Health Connect America to provide intensive mental-health services in five schools, 6–1. A board member questioned counselor quality while administration said the contractors are licensed clinicians.
The Bledsoe County Board of Education voted to approve a memorandum of understanding with Health Connect America to supply intensive mental-health therapy services in the district's five schools, carrying the motion 6–1 at its April 6 meeting.
The memorandum, recommended by district staff, would run through the 2026–27 school year and replace a lapsed contract that required an interim extension after the vendor's CEO was hospitalized, administration said. Finance and legal staff reviewed the agreement and said dates and an annual-term provision would be added when the board executed the contract.
During discussion, board member Mr. Churches raised concerns about service quality, saying he had "not heard some good things about the counselors" and that "our own counselors are much better than what they're providing." He voted against the MOU.
Superintendent Dr. Walker and other supporters responded that Health Connect America employs "licensed professionals" and that the company had an established working relationship with the district. Dr. Walker said the clinicians' credentials were vetted by the state and noted the district does not currently employ licensed mental-health therapists in schools.
Board members also noted the district had relied on Health Connect in the recent year while the district managed short-term gaps; administration said a legal review identified missing start and end dates in an earlier draft and that the board's vote would allow staff to finalize those details.
The motion passed on a roll call; the meeting record shows six board members voting to approve and one opposed. The MOU will be finalized by staff and executed with the effective dates entered as discussed by administration.
The board took no additional action at the meeting on oversight or a formal performance-review schedule for contracted counselors; administration said it would continue to monitor provider performance and report back to the board if concerns arise.
