skip to main content

HCPSS / POLICIES

Policy 5140 – Student Participation in Telehealth Appointments

The purpose of this policy is to establish and communicate to Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) students, parents, and employees the procedures and guidelines for supporting student participation in telehealth appointments in middle and high schools.

Policy Document

Implementation Procedures

I. Policy Value Statement

The Board of Education of Howard County (Board) is committed to ensuring access to telehealth services in schools to provide students with access to healthcare onsite at the school and during the school-day in middle and high schools.

II. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish and communicate to Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) students, parents, and employees the procedures and guidelines for supporting student participation in telehealth appointments in middle and high schools.

III. Standards

  1. Middle and high school students will have access to parent/student-initiated telehealth appointments during the school day as outlined in the HCPSS Telehealth Manual. This includes the in-person presence of a parent and a signed consent form to the school from the parent.

  2. All HCPSS school-based employees supporting telehealth appointments will comply with the legal requirements for confidentiality. Schools will choose a location that ensures privacy of telehealth appointments.

IV. Responsibilities

  1. The Superintendent/designee will ensure the policy is published in the school system’s student handbook.

  2. The Superintendent/designee will develop a Telehealth Procedures Manual and waiver, which will be made available on the HCPSS website, individual school websites, and in print at each individual school Student Services offices.

  3. The Superintendent/designee will ensure HCPSS students, parents, and employees are made aware of this policy, implementation procedures and requirements each school year.

  4. School-based administrators will review this policy with HCPSS Student Services staff annually, prior to the start of each year.

V. Delegation of Authority

The Superintendent is authorized to develop appropriate procedures for the implementation of this policy within the limits set forth by this policy.

VI. Definitions

Within the context of this policy, the following definitions apply:

  1. Confidential – Information that is private, not intended to be shared with others unless they have a legitimate educational interest.

  2. Confidentiality – Assurance that school system officials protect personally identifiable information (PII) and do not disclose or transmit records related to students or the PII contained therein to unauthorized parties.

  3. HCPSS Employee – Any individual who is a permanent or temporary employee of the HCPSS whose compensation is paid in whole or part by the Board, including but not limited to, school-based administrators, teachers, substitute teachers, paraeducators, and other school-based and Central Office support staff.

  4. Informed Consent – The process by which a parent is given all necessary information about a proposed activity, program, or service involving their child, such as medical treatment, educational assessments, or participation in research, and voluntarily agrees to it.

  5. Parent – Any one of the following, recognized as the adult(s) legally responsible for the student:

    1. Biological Parent – A natural parent whose parental rights have not been terminated.

    2. Adoptive Parent – A person who has legally adopted the student and whose parental rights have not been terminated.

    3. Custodian – A person or agency appointed by the court as the legal custodian of the student and granted parental rights and responsibilities.

    4. Guardian – A person who has been placed by the court in charge of the affairs of the student and granted parental rights and responsibilities.

    5. Caregiver – An adult resident of Howard County who exercises care, custody, or control over the student but who is neither the biological parent nor legal guardian, as long as the person satisfies the requirements of the Education Article, §7-101 (c) (Informal Kinship Care) or has been issued a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Verification of Release form entering into a custodial arrangement with the federal government.

    6. Foster Parent – An adult approved to care for a child who has been placed in their home by a State agency or a licensed child placement agency as provided by the Family Law Article, §5-507.

  6. Parent/Student-Initiated Telehealth – Telehealth services between a student or parent and a health care practitioner external to a school when the LEA has no formal agreement with the health care practitioner to provide services to its students. 

  7. Student – An individual enrolled in a public school system or non-public school in the state who is 5 years of age or older and under 22 years of age.

  8. Telehealth – A mode of delivering health care, including mental health/therapy, services through the use of telecommunications technologies by a health care practitioner to a patient at a different physical location than the health care practitioner. For the purpose of school telehealth appointments, the patient is the HCPSS student.

VII. References

A. Legal

  • Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. §1232g Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Public Law 104-191

  • Md. Ann. Code, Education Article, §4-143

B. Board Policies

C. Relevant Data Sources

D. Other

  • Guidelines for the Availability for Student Participation in Telehealth Appointments in Secondary Schools, Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Student Support and Federal Programs, November 14, 2024.

VIII. History

ADOPTED: July 17, 2025

REVIEWED:

MODIFIED:

REVISED:

EFFECTIVE: July 17, 2025

Policy History Key

  • Adopted-Original date the Board took action to approve a policy
  • Reviewed-The date the status of a policy was assessed by the Superintendent’s Standing Policy Group
  • Modified-The date the Board took action to alter a policy that based on the recommendation of the Superintendent/designee did not require a comprehensive examination
  • Revised-The date the Board took action on a that policy based on the recommendation of the Superintendent/designee needed a comprehensive examination
  • Effective-The date a policy is implemented throughout the HCPSS, typically July 1 following Board action.