Senate Bill 12

Notice of Consent for School Health and Counseling Services

Under the new Texas law, Senate Bill 12, parents/guardians must provide written consent before a student can receive routine school-based health or counseling services from district personnel. These services may be provided by trained staff such as school nurses, counselors, social workers, athletic trainers, or other certified health and mental health professionals.

This law ensures that families are fully informed and give permission before care and support are provided. Please note, in the event of a serious emergency, staff will always act to protect your child’s safety and will contact you immediately. Staff may also verbally check in on a student’s daily well-being.

By providing consent, you allow your child to access timely services that support their health, safety, and readiness to learn. Without consent, district staff will be limited in the assistance they can provide during the school day.

Examples of routine health services requiring consent include (but are not limited to):

General first aid and illness evaluation (including temperature checks)
Administration of medications as prescribed and authorized by a physician and parent/guardian
Basic health assessments (blood pressure, height/weight checks, symptom evaluations)
Medical procedures ordered by a healthcare provider
State-required screenings: vision, hearing, spinal curvature (scoliosis), and acanthosis nigricans (diabetes risk indicator)

Examples of counseling/mental health services requiring consent include:

Short-term individual counseling or student check-ins
Group support and social-emotional learning activities
Support during times of emotional distress
Behavioral observations and problem-solving strategies

Accessing Consent Forms

Parents will need to complete the consent form in Skyward Family Access to ensure their child has full access to these supports during the school year.

CLICK HERE to access your account.

Thank you for working with us to continue supporting your child’s success at Silsbee ISD.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do we need to complete the consent forms?

Under Texas Education Code § 26.009(a)(4) & (a-3), revised by Senate Bill 12, school districts must obtain parental or legal guardian consent before their student can receive services that are determined to be routine health-related care, such as medication administration, basic medical care or counseling services, provided by a person who is authorized and trained to deliver routine care for physical or medical health-related services.

What are routine based medical and mental health related services?

Physical health services include vision, hearing, and scoliosis screenings, as well as management of chronic health conditions such as diabetes and asthma. These services also cover routine medication administration and support for students with ongoing medical needs.

Mental health services include short-term individual counseling and check-ins, social-emotional learning activities, group support sessions, assistance during times of emotional distress, and behavioral observations and problem-solving strategies.

How long is consent valid?

Does SB 12 affect my child's college readiness or academic advising services?

What happens if I do not consent?

If a parent selects "I do NOT Consent" on the consent form, school nurses, counselors, social workers, athletic trainers, and all other certified district health and mental health personnel will not be able to provide ongoing counseling, regular check-ins, or follow-up support for the student.

However, students will always receive emergency interventions if they are in danger or at risk of harm.

School employees may still ask general questions about a student’s daily well-being.

In This Section