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Hanover CSB board presses for data after School Board cuts school-based clinician funding
Summary
Board members and staff responded to the Hanover School Board’s decision to eliminate line-item funding for School Based Services, discussed interim county funding for four floating positions, and urged collection and review of impact data at a March 2 work session and the April 20 meeting.
The Hanover County Community Services Board spent substantial time discussing changes to School Based Mental Health Services after the Hanover School Board moved to eliminate funding for those positions. At a March 2 work session and again in the April 20 meeting, clinicians and board members described the program’s role in reducing barriers for students and pressed for data to quantify the impact of the staffing changes.
Multiple School Based clinicians—listed in the minutes as Lauren Lints, Ashley Hazelgrove, Isabel Kohuth, Lindsey Simmers, Ema Simpson, Mallory Talbert and Carleigh Boden—“spoke to the positive impact School Based Servies as had in Hanover County Schools,” according to the meeting record. Sue Dibble, a member of the Hanover County Board of Supervisors representing the South Anna District, said the School Board’s decision was “a conscience decision based on statistical data.”
CSB staff described efforts to retool the program within a smaller staffing footprint. Bret Schardein, a CSB staff member, said the agency will adapt to the available positions: “the CSB will build the best program around the positions we have,” the minutes report. Board of Supervisors funding for three floating positions plus one one-year grant-funded position was described at the work session; Ryan Hudson, identified in the minutes as representing the Board of Supervisors, emphasized that “no one was losing their job” as the staffing changes are implemented through attrition.
Board members and staff asked for clearer statistics and impact studies before changes proceed. The CSB’s Legislative Advocacy and Programming committees signaled interest in coordinating with the Board of Supervisors and in requesting the School Board’s data on services provided, with the Executive Committee advised to seek access to records needed for analysis. The board noted follow-up steps include reviewing service-level data and exploring advocacy options if county funding is needed to restore positions.
