Hazel Health, an online telemental health service available free to Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) middle and high school students, will soon be offered to elementary school students. Hazel Health therapists are currently serving more than 100 middle and high school students.   

Starting April 15, appointments will open for elementary school students who are in need short-term mental health support from licensed medical professionals. Hazel Health offers two ways students can receive virtual counseling — at home or at school. For children to receive at-home virtual visits, they must have access to a web-enabled device and a person 18 and older must be in the vicinity of the child during the visit. At-school visits take place during school hours on a Hazel Health-provided iPad in an area designated for the sessions and coordinated by a trained staff member. Students are afforded privacy during at-school visits.

“CCPS is excited to expand our existing partnership with Hazel Health for telemental health services to our elementary schools.  Hazel Health has been available in our secondary schools since January,” Michael Blanchard, Psy.D., supervising school psychologist, said. “Now, our students in kindergarten-fifth grade will also have access to this service.  Parents/guardians can reach out to the school counselor, school psychologist, or school administrator at their child's school with any questions.”  

Licensed therapists meet virtually with students who are in school or at home and offer brief solution-focused therapy in six to 10 sessions following an intake visit. Most sessions take approximately 30 minutes with the student, their parents and the clinician determining how often the child will attend sessions. Hazel Health will continue to follow up with families for an additional six months following the last meeting to ensure the student is progressing. If it is determined that a child needs long-term mental health support, CCPS and Hazel Health staff can help the family find a local provider.

Hazel Health’s licensed therapists help children and teenagers with emotions, including stress, anxiety, depression, bullying, grief and loss, academic stress and other issues that may affect a student’s ability to be in school and ready to learn. Students who are already receiving mental health services will not be able to use those provided by Hazel Health as the industry standard does not allow for the duplication of services. 

Elementary school principals are preparing for the program and school staff will be trained the week of April 8 to prepare for the launch on April 15. Parents and guardians can complete a consent form for their child to receive Hazel Health services at school. On April 15, parents and guardians will be able to begin signing up their children for appointments with Hazel Health.

To learn more and sign up for services, visit Hazel Health’s CCPS site at https://my.hazel.co/ccboe/info.

About CCPS

Charles County Public Schools provides 27,765 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 38 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.

The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Kathy Kiessling, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.

CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).