Special education staff outline plan for campus wellness center funded by state CYBHI

Special Education and Student Services staff presented a preliminary plan for a school‑based wellness center that would consolidate counseling, psychological services and nursing support in a single campus space to better serve Cloverdale students.

The presenter said the district would not use general‑fund dollars for the center and instead intends to tap the state Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) to bill medical and private insurance for eligible services. “If we were to open a wellness center, there would be no contribution from the general fund,” the presenter said, noting CYBHI as the funding mechanism.

Board members asked several practical questions about scope and implementation. Trustees pressed on parental notification and confidentiality; a trustee asked whether services would include medical procedures and whether parents would be notified when students access services. The presenter replied that the district would “follow the same confidentiality and notification procedures that we follow now” and that any new clinical services brought in through partners (for example, Alexander Valley) would follow their standard procedures for minors.

Location and access were discussed: the presenter said the wellness center would likely be on the Cloverdale High School campus and could serve junior high students via a short walk. The model described would first consolidate services already provided (psychologists, counselors, the school nurse) into a dedicated space rather than immediately adding new clinical interventions.

Hours and staffing were identified as early constraints. The presenter said initial operations would likely focus on the school day, with the possibility of limited before/after‑school hours based on student need; year‑round billing through CYBHI is feasible, but the district’s primary challenge would be finding consistent staff. “One of our issues was staff. Finding staff to do it was the hard part,” the presenter said, adding that the district would explore hiring a CYBHI‑funded coordinator to oversee the space.

The presenter described the project as in an inquiry phase: gathering community and student input, identifying lightly used campus rooms that could be repurposed, and aligning staffing and funding. The district gave a tentative best‑case target of next school year, contingent on funding, hiring and space decisions. Board members asked for further detail on hours, parent engagement and operational oversight as planning proceeds.

Next steps include community input and further operational planning; no formal action was requested during this meeting.