Chesterfield County Public Schools (CCPS) has announced a new initiative allowing students in grades 6-12 to access free virtual telehealth sessions through Hazel Health. This program aims to support mental health and help manage stress, anxiety, or sadness.
According to CCPS, the partnership with Hazel Health provides virtual mental health counseling for students in these grades. Students can connect one-on-one with licensed therapists, including clinical social workers, professional counselors, mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, and associate therapists. These sessions are conducted via computer, tablet, or smartphone, including school-issued Chromebooks.
The telehealth program offers free counseling regardless of insurance coverage and allows flexible scheduling for sessions with diverse therapists. Nearly half of these therapists are bilingual in over 30 languages such as Spanish, French, Vietnamese, Korean, Tagalog, and American Sign Language. The services address various emotional challenges including anxiety, depression, stress, grief, social skills issues, mood or behavior changes, bullying among others. However, Hazel Health is not a replacement for emergency services.
Parents or guardians must opt-in for students to participate as self-enrollment by students is not allowed. School staff also cannot schedule appointments. Appointments take place at home with a parent or guardian present and typically occur between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays. The first session serves as an assessment to identify the student’s mental health needs; most students reportedly improve within six sessions. Information about these sessions remains private and is not shared with school staff.
CCPS serves over 64,000 students across 67 schools with a $1 billion budget and full accreditation. The district reports a 91% on-time graduation rate with approximately 4,700 graduates annually who receive millions in scholarship awards. It includes seven National Blue Ribbon Schools and eight National ESEA Distinguished Schools among other accolades. Governed by a five-member School Board following the strategic plan Imagine Beyond Tomorrow, CCPS aims to promote lifelong learning and prepare college- and career-ready graduates.
