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Crandall ISD

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SB 12 Counseling Services

Senate Bill 12 and Counseling Services in Texas

 

Senate Bill 12 (SB 12) focuses on parental consent for health related and health-care services. The law’s intent is to ensure families are informed and give permission before a school begins non-emergency mental or behavioral health services with a student, while still allowing schools to respond immediately in a crisis.

At Crandall ISD, this means:

  • Crandall ISD provides parents the option to opt out of non-emergency individual or small-group counseling, therapy, mental/behavioral health screenings not required by law, and ongoing check-ins that constitute mental-health services.
  • Crisis response remains allowed without prior consent when a student is at imminent risk of serious harm; parents/guardians are notified as soon as reasonably possible.

Crandall ISD remains committed to the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs and to partnering with families to support students’ well-being.

School Counselors provide the following Health Related Services:

  • 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
  • Safe, supportive, and positive school climate

 

Health Care Services 

Health Care Services means services that would meet the definition of either psychological or psychiatric examination or test, or psychological or psychiatric treatment. 

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.

Below is a breakdown of what requires consent and where no consent is required:

 

Psychological or Psychiatric Exam/Treatment 🚫 

(Requires Parent Consent)

 

School Counseling Practice ✅ (No Consent Required)

 

Administering a depression, anxiety, trauma, or personality screener/test

 

General Tier 1 Classroom guidance lessons (e.g. bullying prevention, study skills, coping, career awareness)

 

School-based individual or small-group counseling/therapy

 

Short-term individual counseling for friendship issues, stress, grief, or mild conflict

 

Ongoing check-ins primarily addressing mental/behavioral health needs

 

Running New student small groups

 

Providing systematic treatment (e.g., CBT, SFBT)

 

Crisis response (suicide risk assessment, safety planningl)

 

Attempting to change a disorder or treat emotional/behavioral conditions

 

Consulting with teachers on classroom strategies and collaborating with parents

 

Mental or behavioral health screenings/assessments

 

Providing referrals to outside licensed professionals for therapy or evaluation

 

Collecting clinical data to form a treatment plan

 

Facilitating career and academic planning (e.g., course selection, graduation planning)

To opt out of these services, please complete the district’s opt-out form and return it to your child’s campus. If you have questions about the services, please contact CISD Coordinator of Counseling, Shenise Tett.

English SB12 School Counseling Services Opt Out Form

Spanish SB12 School Counseling Services Opt Out Form

FAQs: SB 12 & Counseling Services (Parent Consent)


  • School-based individual or small-group counseling/therapy; mental or behavioral health screenings/assessments not required by law; and ongoing check-ins primarily addressing mental/behavioral health needs.

  •  

    • Emergency/crisis intervention when there is an imminent risk to the student or others (parents are notified promptly afterward).
    • Activities required by law (e.g., certain safety/threat or suicide risk assessments) and special education/Section 504 processes, which have their own consent rules.
    • General Tier 1, classroom-wide well-being lessons delivered to all students (not individual or small-group mental health services).


  • Families receive a clear consent notice describing the service, provider credentials, purpose, frequency/duration, what records are kept, how information may be shared under FERPA, and how to withdraw consent. Consent forms will be made available on Parent Square to complete. Please complete these forms ASAP as this will limit the amount of support that can be provided to students.


  • Yes. Students can request to see a counselor throughout the school day. If there’s a safety concern, the counselor may conduct a crisis response immediately and notify parents as soon as possible.


  • If a student is at imminent risk of harm, staff may take immediate steps to protect the student (e.g., crisis assessment, safety planning, contacting emergency contacts/services). Parents/guardians are notified promptly after the immediate risk is addressed.


  • Parents/guardians can withdraw consent at any time by notifying the campus in writing. Services will stop, except for crisis response if a safety concern arises.


  • Your campus counselor will be the best first contact. You may also reach Shenise Tett, Coordinator of Counseling Services, at stett@crandall-isd.net | 972.427.6000 x61309