Duval County Public Schools has officially ended its multi year telehealth partnership with Hazel Health, closing out the program on June 30 and leaving some Jacksonville families wondering what comes next for school connected care. District officials say most Hazel operations have wrapped, but students already in therapy through Hazel will keep getting services, and school based staff and local partners are still on deck to help families figure out their options.
According to News4JAX, DCPS thanked both Hazel Health and Hazel Heart for their years of service and confirmed that the change took effect June 30. “With the exception of students currently receiving mental health services, all operations through Hazel Health have concluded,” the district told the outlet.
Where Families Can Still Get Medical Care
Everyday illnesses and minor injuries will continue to be handled by school nurses and on campus staff, just as before. For families who relied on Hazel for fast virtual appointments, the city is pointing to a different telehealth option that will not cost qualifying residents anything out of pocket.
The City of Jacksonville’s Healthlink JAX program offers free, 24/7 virtual visits for uninsured Duval County residents, along with care navigation to help set up follow up appointments and referrals, according to the city’s Healthlink JAX information. Families can call Healthlink JAX at 904 925 CARE (2273) to start a visit or find out if they qualify for the service.
Mental Health Help Through Schools And Partners
On the mental health side, DCPS is urging families to start with their child’s school counselor. Counselors can provide short term support, connect students with school social workers and refer families to Full Service Schools providers for more intensive help when needed.
The district is also steering families toward its GROW mental health hub, which gathers student and parent resources and lists school level contacts in one place. Details and contact information are available through Duval County Public Schools.
Search Tools And Community Referrals
Families who prefer to look beyond school based options still have several tools to track down outside clinicians or clinics that fit their needs and insurance.
The federal site FindTreatment.gov lists licensed treatment programs, including options for young people. Psychology Today’s therapist finder can help match families with individual clinicians, and United Way 2 1 1 maintains a local referral database for Northeast Florida. Those services can connect families with outpatient therapy, medication management and community mental health programs.
Immediate Help In A Crisis
If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
For mental health crises, people can call or text 988 Lifeline or use the site’s chat option for 24/7 help. Texting HOME to 741741 links directly to the Crisis Text Line, which offers round the clock text based support through Crisis Text Line.
Locally, rapid response is available through the Child Guidance Center’s Rapid Response team at 904 982 4911, according to the Child Guidance Center.
What To Expect Next
District leaders say they remain focused on getting students connected to care even as DCPS steps away from Hazel Health’s telehealth model, which expanded rapidly during the pandemic to meet demand for school based services. For now, families with questions are being told to contact their child’s school, check the GROW hub or use the listed community resources to secure ongoing care and crisis support.
