The State Department of Health and Human Services has partnered with UnitedHealthcare to support a new virtual health care initiative.
Telehealth provider Hazel Health will offer mental health support for issues like anxiety, depression, and trauma.
K-12 students in participating districts will be able to connect with licensed therapists from Hazel Health before, during, and after school hours.
The program aims to eliminate barriers such as transportation problems and long wait times. Services are expected to start this month.
N.C. Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai said, “Services like school-based telehealth are critical to improving access to mental health care because they meet children and families where they are with the care they need.”
The initiative will first launch in Harnett County Schools and Durham Public Schools, with more districts joining in the coming weeks.
State officials estimate that about 400,000 students will have access to the program.
A recent report showed that over one-third of high school students and nearly one-third of middle school students in North Carolina have reported feeling sad or hopeless.
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