HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF)- We are hearing from parents upset with a recent decision by the Hamilton County School Board to discontinue a partnership with Centerstone Mental Health.
Amanda Chenkins’ daughter is in the first grade at Battle Academy.
She says her therapist, provided by Centerstone through the school, has been a huge part of her educational journey.
However, that has been pulled away from them due to a recent decision by the Hamilton County School Board.
Chenkins said, “It was heartbreaking, you know. That’s her safe place, her safe zone.”
She says that her daughter’s therapist told her earlier this week she was no longer allowed to be inside the school building, as is the case across all Hamilton County Schools.
Chenkins said, “My baby, she was very tore up when she came home and she said, “Tomorrow is the day I get to meet with Ms. Jillian” and I said, “Well, she isn’t going to be at school,” and she got pretty emotional.”
Stephanie Minameyer says it is a similar situation for her daughter at Ooltewah High School.
Minamyer said, “She was very upset at first. She has calmed down a little bit, but she’s still very upset at the fact that someone else chose to take something away from her that was very valuable to her.”
The Hamilton County School Board voted 6 to 5 last week to not extend a memorandum of understanding with Centerstone, with all six no votes being Republican members.
Members who voted against extensions gave reasons ranging from concerns over vetting processes to the beliefs of individual therapists.
Board member Jodi Schaffer said, “I have concerns that it is only Centerstone. I have some fundamental concerns with some things I see on your website that I can’t vote for.”
This decision was criticized during this week’s Hamilton County Commission meeting by Commissioner David Sharpe.
Commissioner Sharpe said, “I would hope that school board members would not choose politics over people, particularly young children in our community.”
Both parents say they requested to have their child see their in-school therapist, and met with them before letting their child begin therapy.
Chenkins said, “I had a list of questions for her, how would you address this? How are your thoughts and feelings on this? What kinds of methods do you use?”
They say they’re concerned about the impacts on those who may not be able to seek therapy outside of school.
Minamyer said, “Some of the families maybe can’t afford to take time off of work and pull them out of school and take them to an appointment, versus missing maybe a study hall or a gym class or a music class to sit and the therapy they need.”
Those we spoke with say they plan to attend the next school board meeting to voice their displeasure with the decision.
