HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. — Speaking with one voice, principals at Hamilton County Schools say they’re ‘deeply concerned’ over the Hamilton County School Board’s recent decision to end its partnership with a company that provides in-school therapeutic services.

Two weeks ago, Hamilton County School Board members declined to renew its agreement with private company Centerstone, which has provided therapeutic and other services for children whose parents sign up for treatment.

The end of that agreement caused the abrupt end treatment for more than 2,500 students in the district who use Centerstone without any prior notice, according to a statement released Friday morning by the Hamilton County Principals Association (HCPA), who calls the end of coverage an ‘unacceptable gap.’ (Read that full statement at the end of this story).

We are continuing to see a sharp rise in student mental health needs, a crisis that directly impacts academic success, school climate, and student well-being. The decision to terminate our work with Centerstone runs counter to our mission to serve the whole child. The Hamilton County Principals Association strongly urges the Hamilton County School Board to revisit this decision.

Debate on the night of the school board vote on Cornerstone, and the fallout in the days after the vote to end the agreement, was contentious.

Last night is the first time that we’ve ever voted to actively harm kids since I’ve been on the board, and it’s very upsetting,’ said District 11 School Board Member Jill Black. ‘We’ve got 1,000 kids tomorrow that don’t have their therapist anymore, and we’re having to figure out how to provide service to those families outside of the school building.

But other board members disagreed, like District 2 School Board Member Ben Daugherty, who had concerns about who would be treating children.

The idea of putting people that we don’t know, that didn’t go through our hiring system, having an impact on a kid in a very vulnerable time in their life gives me absolute reservation as a parent,’ Daugherty said.

But the HCPA says the vote has left families who unexpectedly just lost an option for treatment for their child now scrambling to find alternatives. Their statement says

Many families depend on these services due to financial or transportation barriers, and the sudden removal of care creates an unacceptable gap in support, placing the burden entirely on families to find alternatives without adequate time or resources. One day, students had access to these supports; the next day, they did not.

We’ve reached out to all Hamilton County School Board members to get reaction to this statement. All either have not yet responded or said they would be unavailable for comment.

Read the full HCPA statement below:

The Hamilton County Principal Association is deeply concerned by the School Board’s recent decision to terminate in-school therapeutic services provided by Centerstone. This action immediately ended mental health support, for more than 2,500 students without prior notice to the families who had actively chosen these services for their children. To be clear, parents make their own decision and choose to sign their students up for the services.

As educators and school leaders, we are committed to supporting the needs of all students. Many families depend on these services due to financial or transportation barriers, and the sudden removal of care creates an unacceptable gap in support, placing the burden entirely on families to find alternatives without adequate time or resources. One day, students had access to these supports; the next day, they did not.

In our schools, we do not mandate mental health services. We provide options and empower parents to choose what is best for their children, and that includes the ability to opt in or out of programs like Centerstone. That choice was removed without their input or the input of school leaders.

We are continuing to see a sharp rise in student mental health needs, a crisis that directly impacts academic success, school climate, and student well-being. The decision to terminate our work with Centerstone runs counter to our mission to serve the whole child.

The Hamilton County Principals Association strongly urges the Hamilton County School Board to revisit this decision and work collaboratively to ensure that vital mental health services remain accessible to the students who need them most.

Professionally,

Rashaad Williams, President
Jill Levine, Vice-President
Jesse Goins, Treasurer
Jamelie Johns, Secretary
Greg Wilkey, Parliamentarian

Depend on us to keep you posted on this developing story.

Earlier: Hamilton County School Board member warns of harm as board rejects mental health agreement