Community Health Network will not continue providing school-based behavioral health services to Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools after the end of the current school year, prompting district officials to begin reviewing alternative options.

HSE spokesperson Emily Abbotts said the decision is part of a broader shift by Community Health Network and is not specific to the district.

“Community Health is ending all its school-based behavioral health contracts,” Abbotts told LarryInFishers.

District officials are evaluating available options and plan to provide an update once next steps are finalized. Abbotts emphasized that other partnerships between HSE and Community Health Network will remain in place.

“This change does not impact our existing partnerships with Community Health related to school nursing, sports medicine, or clinic services,” she said.

In 2023, HSE was awarded a $5.7 million grant to expand mental health services across the district. While the funding allowed for the addition of district-employed social workers and counselors, the initiative initially drew concern from some school board members who questioned the district’s role in providing mental health services. The expansion ultimately supplemented internal staff while continuing to rely on external therapists contracted through Community Health Network.

In July 2024, the school board approved a Behavioral Health Services Letter Agreement with Community Health Network, requiring the district to pay $33,333 per month for school-based mental health services. At the time, board members designated the agreement as a year-to-year decision.