During the 89th Texas Legislative Session, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 12, which requires schools to get annual parental consent before providing health-related or counseling-related services to students. This includes things like first aid, short-term counseling, or vision and hearing screenings.
Examples of Health Related Services and Counseling Services That May Be Provided, but are not Limited to: Health Related Services
- First aid and injury evaluation
- Check temperature, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and pulse
- Administration of over-the-counter medications per school policy
- Monitoring of chronic health conditions (e.g., asthma, diabetes)
- Vision, hearing, and Scoliosis screenings
- Administer an opioid antagonist, such as Narcan, to an individual who is reasonably believed to be experiencing an opioid related drug overdose on campus,
- Support during illness or physical symptoms at school
Counseling Related Services
- General guidance and academic counseling
- Short-term individual counseling or check-ins
- Social-emotional skill-building or group counseling
- Support during emotional distress or crisis, including assessment following a reported concern of student self-harm or harm to others
- Behavioral observations and problem-solving
These services do not replace seeking medical or mental health services from a trained licensed professional