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Annual Routine Health Services

Annual Routine Health & Counseling Services Consent

Starting Sept. 1, 2025, and in compliance with Senate Bill 12, in order for your child to be attended to by nurses, athletic trainers, and school counselors for routine health services like physical and mental health, parents must complete a Routine Health Services Consent Form for each child.

Senate Bill 12

The Governor of Texas signed Senate Bill 12 into law on June 20, 2025. As part of SB 12, Texas public school districts are now required to seek consent from parents prior to providing any routine physical and health services to students. The law becomes effective September 1, 2025.

Under SB 12, public schools must receive parental consent before providing even simple or routine physical and health services to students. For example, before a nurse or counselor can do something as simple as putting a bandage on a skinned knee or helping a child calm their breathing when emotionally upset, the district must have parental consent on file first.

Health Services

Parents must give consent before schools can provide routine physical health services, such as:

  • First aid for minor injuries
  • Vision and hearing screenings
  • Other routine school-based health services
  • Examples of routine health services that may be provided with your consent acknowledged on the School Health-Related Services Parental Consent Form:

    Physical health services:

    • First aid and injury evaluation
    • Nursing assessments and/or care of symptoms of illness or injury while at school
    • Routine health screenings- vision, hearing, spinal screening, and Texas Risk Assessment for Type 2 Diabetes in Children
    • Monitoring of chronic health conditions (e.g., diabetes, seizures, asthma)
    • Communicable disease or condition symptom evaluation, exclusion and readmission
    • Administration of medications (upon written parent request and with a physician’s order)
    • Health counseling and education (nutrition, hygiene, disease prevention, general wellness)
    • Coordination of health services
    • Special procedures (upon written parent request and with a physician’s order)
  • Parental consent is not required for these services:

    • Medical emergencies or those required by law
    • Administration of medications
    • Scheduled nursing procedures
  • These services are provided by licensed school nurses, teachers, athletic trainers, administrators, or other staff employed by NLISD who are charged with supervising children.

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

  • Yes. All health records are protected under state and federal privacy laws.

School Counseling Services that Support Mental Health

Parents must give consent before schools can provide mental or behavioral health services, such as:

  • Short-term, school-based counseling for emotional or behavioral support
  • Social-emotional learning
  • 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: NLISD 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.

  • Yes. All health records are protected under state and federal privacy laws.

Students Clubs/Organizations

Consent is required for a child to participate in school-sponsored clubs/organizations.

  • All extracurricular opportunities are reviewed and vetted to ensure compliance with state laws and district guidelines.
  • Parents maintain the right to decide which activities are appropriate for their child.
  • SB 12 adds Education Code §33.0815. Key points:

    • Districts may authorize or sponsor student clubs.
    • Districts may not authorize or sponsor a student club based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
    • Before a student participates in any authorized or sponsored club, the district must have written parental consent.
  • SB 12 requires written parent consent for any club or organization the district authorizes or sponsors. 

    Districts may choose to use a universal consent process each year for clarity and consistency, but SB 12’s consent mandate is tied to authorized/sponsored clubs.

  • Students will not be allowed to participate in a club/organization without a signed parent permission form.

  • Students will not be allowed to participate in a CTSO without a signed parent consent form.

How To Complete the Consent Forms

A ParentSquare post has been sent out with the consent form attached.  You can also print out the forms and take them to the office of your child’s campus. 

How I Change My Response?

If you need to change your response at any time, please email your child’s campus office staff to document the change. 

Everett Elementary: vfarmer@northlamar.net

North Lamar Intermediate: abailey@northlamar.net

Aaron Parker Elementary: askeen@northlamar.net

Stone Middle School: aputman@northlamar.net

North Lamar High School: wmoore@northlamar.net

Bailey Success Center: ssheridan@northlamar.net