Consent for Health Services (Grades PK-12)

In accordance with the law, Blanco ISD must provide parents with written notice of each school-based health-related service offered at the campus their child attends. These routine services promote student safety, wellness, and readiness to learn.  The services may be provided by qualified school staff, including nurses or athletic trainers.  This consent does not take the place of an Individualized Health Plan (IHP), Section 504 Plan, or individualized education plan (IEP). 

A parent has the right to withhold consent for any health-related service. 

These services include routine health services as listed below and health screenings.

 First aid and injury evaluation
 Administration of over-the-counter medications in accordance with the law
 Administration of prescription medications in accordance with the law
 Monitoring of chronic health conditions (e.g., asthma, diabetes)
 Vision, hearing, and scoliosis screenings
 Under the influence assessment
 Lice screening
 Acanthosis screening
 Support during illness or physical symptoms at school
 Coordination of health services
 Heat illness prevention and injury support for student athletes

Please be advised that if you choose to opt out of these services and your child becomes ill or sustains a non-life-threatening injury during the school day, the campus nurse will not be permitted to assess or provide care, except in the case of a life-threatening emergency, as defined by applicable law and district policy.  In such cases, you will be contacted immediately and will be required to pick up your child from school without delay. 

If you have any questions, please contact the school nurse.

Consent for Health Services Form

In accordance with law, the District must notify parents of school counseling services and give parents the opportunity to opt out before those services are provided to their child. Consent given through this form is effective during the current school year unless rescinded earlier.

School counseling services are more fully explained in board policy FFEA, and student mental health is covered in board policy FFEB. Information about threat assessments can be found in board policy FFB.

All District employees:

• Shall report alleged abuse or neglect of a student as required by law; and
• May verbally inquire about a student’s daily well-being without parental consent.

District employees and contractors will not provide assistance with social transitioning.

Under state law, a child may consent to counseling for themselves as it relates to suicide prevention, chemical addiction or dependency, or sexual, physical, or emotional abuse.

ROUTINE COUNSELING SERVICES
State law requires school counselors to provide the following services as part of a Comprehensive School Counseling Program:

• A guidance curriculum to help students develop their full educational potential, including the students' interests and career objectives.
• A responsive services component to intervene on behalf of any student whose immediate personal concerns or problems put the student's continued educational, career, personal, or social development at risk.
• An individual planning system to guide a student as the student plans, monitors, and manages the student's own educational, career, personal, and social development.
• System support to support the efforts of teachers, staff, parents, and other members of the community in promoting the educational, career, personal, and social development of students.

School counselors rotinely provide the following services;

• Advise students and their parents regarding the importance of postsecondary education, coursework designed to prepare students for postsecondary education, and financial aid availability and requirements;
• Early mental health prevention and intervention;
• Building skills related to managing emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and responsible decision-making;
• Substance abuse prevention and intervention;
• Suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention;
• Grief-informed and trauma-informed practices;
• Positive school climates, meaning the quality and character of school life, including interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning practices, and organizational structures, as experienced by students enrolled in the District, parents of those students, and personnel employed by the District;
• Positive behavior interventions and supports;
• Positive youth development; and
• Safe, supportive, and positive school climate.

PARENTAL CONSENT
Under state law, an employee or contractor of the District must obtain the written consent of a child’s parent before the employee or contractor may conduct a psychological or psychiatric examination or test, or psychological or psychiatric treatment (“mental health-related services”), unless the examination, test, or treatment is required under law. These terms are defined by law:

• “Psychological or psychiatric examination or test” as a method designed to elicit information regarding an attitude, habit, trait, opinion, belief, feeling, or mental disorder or a condition thought to lead to a mental disorder, regardless of the manner in which the method is presented or characterized, including a method that is presented or characterized as a survey, check-in, or screening or is embedded in an academic lesson.
• “Psychological or psychiatric treatment” means the planned, systematic use of a method or technique that is designed to affect behavioral, emotional, or attitudinal characteristics of an individual or group.

A parent may not opt out of the following:

1. School district emergency responses;
2. Law enforcement or Department of Family and Protective Services activities;
3. Behavioral threat assessment required by law; or
4. Other rights or duties required by law, including the Texas Family Code.

Under state law, before administering a student well-being questionnaire or health screening form to a student, the District will provide a copy of the questionnaire or form to the student’s parent and obtain the parent’s consent to administer the questionnaire or the form. Below are forms routinely used by school counselors, school-based therapists, or school psychologists.

Should the District recommend additional mental health care or the completion of a form or questionnaire not attached, the form will be provided to the parent, and consent will be obtained before the form or services are provided to the student. It is standard practice for campus school-based therapists to seek separate consent for participation in small groups or for regular time-limited and goal-directed individual counseling.

Consent for Counseling Services Form

Participation in Clubs 

Senate Bill 12 requires parent permission for children to participate in student clubs authorized or sponsored by Blanco ISD or a BISD campus. This form grants permission for your child to sign up for and participate in any club.

Consent to Participate in Clubs Form