You must complete a School Health Services Consent Form for each child in United ISD.

Without the consent form, school staff—including nurses and counselors—cannot provide your child with routine physical or mental health services. You will be responsible for arranging all care for your child outside of emergencies.

Examples of physical health services include:

• First aid and illness care at school
• Vision, hearing, spinal, and other state-required screenings
• Lice checks
• Injury and heat illness support for athletes

This form does not include:

• Prescription or over-the-counter medication administration
• Ongoing treatment for chronic health conditions
• Formal medical or psychological diagnoses

These require separate written parent permission.

In a life-threatening emergency, school staff will respond immediately to protect your child’s safety and contact you right away.

You will need to complete the form each school year for every child enrolled in United ISD.

If you need assistance, please contact:

• Your child’s school nurse
• United ISD Health Services

Examples of services by school counselors or mental health staff that may be provided with parental consent are:

• Short-term individual or small group counseling for emotional or behavioral support
• Social-emotional learning
• Support during emotional distress or crisis

No. Parental consent is not required for school counselors to provide academic services. Counselors will continue to support students with:

• Course selection and scheduling
• College and career readiness planning
• Academic goal setting and monitoring
• General school success strategies

Note: This law (SB 12) only applies to mental and behavioral health-related counseling services, not academic counseling.

Parental consent is not required for these services:

• Medical emergencies or those required by law including:
• Immediate help if a student is at risk of self-harm or experiencing suicidal thoughts
• Support for grief after a death or traumatic event
• Situations involving suspected abuse or neglect (required by law to report)
• Other urgent matters required by state or federal law

Note: Under Texas law, a child may also consent to their own counseling in specific cases, including:

• Suicide prevention
• Chemical addiction or dependency
• Sexual, physical, or emotional abuse

School counselors do not provide some services and would require separate parental consent through outside providers, such as:

• Medical or psychological diagnoses
• Long-term therapy, counseling, or treatment

Note: UISD counseling staff do not provide medical or psychological diagnoses, long-term therapy, or treatment. When students need these types of services, families are connected with community agencies that require their own parental consent.

• School Counselors and Responsive Services Counselors provide short-term, school-based counseling and crisis support.
• Teachers and staff lead short SEL classroom activities that help students feel safe, connected, and ready to learn. These activities are not counseling or therapy.

In a serious emergency, staff will still act to protect your child’s safety and will contact you immediately.

• Your child’s campus counselor
• United ISD Counseling Services