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Board hears proposal from Mercy Tennessee to place faith‑based school therapists; board approves moving forward
Summary
Olivia Felts presented Mercy Tennessee’s offer to place primarily school‑based therapists in each district building, at no cost to the district and accepting all insurance; the board approved moving ahead with contracting despite noting the provider’s faith‑based identity.
Olivia Felts, director of the district behavioral health department, told the Hickman County Board of Education that Mercy Tennessee has offered to station school‑based therapists in each district building and that the service would not cost the district.
Felts said Mercy Tennessee would “accept all insurance” and that the proposed therapists would be primarily school‑based rather than splitting time between school and outside clinics. She said the district currently has several partner agencies but that Mercy’s insurance acceptance could fill gaps for families with private coverage or no insurance.
Felts read excerpts of a letter from Mercy’s chief behavioral health officer assuring the district that the provider “does not proselytize. They do not promote religious viewpoints or engage in activities that would be inconsistent with clinical ethics or school policies,” and that the organization’s faith‑based identity would not alter clinical boundaries.
Board members asked for implementation details and timelines; Felts said hiring clinicians in the area is difficult and that Mercy estimated a multi‑year rollout to place a therapist in every building though the process could move faster. She also said Mercy would provide liability insurance and that the contractor would assume responsibility for claims arising from services.
After questions from the board about staffing levels, timeline and contract terms, a motion to allow administration to proceed with a signed agreement with Mercy Tennessee carried by voice vote.
The board’s approval was to allow the district to sign a contract and continue negotiations; no specific start date for therapists in every building was set. Felts cautioned the rollout could take up to two years given local hiring challenges and that Mercy planned to use recruitment tools, including sign‑on and relocation bonuses, to accelerate staffing.
What happens next: administration will pursue contract finalization and will return to the board with any material terms or changes that require board approval.
