Proper nutrition and regular exercise contribute greatly to a healthy lifestyle—but they don’t tell the entire story.

Other factors that can deeply affect students’ sense of well-being include: emotional problems, homelessness, domestic violence, substance abuse, pregnancy, illness, disease, and other issues.

HISD provides assistance in these areas in the following ways:

• Accident Insurance—By law, public schools are not liable for injuries that students suffer while on campus. HISD does, however, make available affordable voluntary accident insurance. Parents can buy full-time coverage (24 hours per day) or coverage only for those hours when their child is at school. Enrollment information is available through Chubb (www.K12StudentInsurance.com). Questions may also be directed to HISD Risk Management at 713-556-9225. Click Here to submit a claim form.
• Community Services—Often referred to as “the school without walls,” this program serves students in places other than the regular classroom setting, such as those obtaining treatment in the Texas Medical Center for chronic illnesses or those who are home-bound with severe injuries. Call Community Services at 713-967-5285 for details.
• Counseling & Guidance—A variety of comprehensive programs are available to help students grow personally and academically. Additional information about these programs is available from your child's school and the Counseling and Guidance Web site.
• Health Insurance—Access to healthcare providers often starts with access to affordable health insurance, and HISD began working with the Children’s Defense Fund in June 2007 to ensure that every uninsured HISD student was enrolled in Children's Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program through the 100% Campaign.
• Homeless Students—The district’s Counseling and Guidance Department (713-556-7240) serves the needs of students at local shelters and other temporary homes through a partnership with the SuCasa Homeless Education Program.
• Immunizations—HISD posts updated immunization information every fall and publicizes health fairs and other local offers of free shots throughout the year.
• Medical Care at School—Prescription medication can be administered at school only when advance written parental and physician permission is on file and only by designated personnel. For additional information, please speak to the school principal or school nurse. Schools will contact parents or a designated relative or family friend if a student becomes ill or suffers an injury. Be sure to list all emergency telephone numbers on each child’s enrollment card.
• Mobile Health Services—Partnerships with the University of Texas’ School of Dentistry and the University of Houston’s Mobile Eye Institute provide students at a number of schools with on-site dental and eye care (respectively).
• Pregnancy and Parenting Programs—HISD offers all pregnant students special support services to help them stay in school and care for their children. Please see your school principal or nurse for assistance.
• Psychological Services—HISD’s Psychological Services Department (713-923-8597) offers students assistance both on an individual and a schoolwide basis. This may include grief counseling in the wake of tragedies (such as when a classmate dies) or help with more personal issues.
• School-Based Clinics—HISD has partnerships with a number of healthcare providers (such as Baylor College of Medicine, the Harris County Hospital District, and Texas Children’s Hospital) that serve thousands of students at dozens of school-based clinics across the district.
• Substance Abuse—Substance-abuse prevention is also a part of the district’s character education curriculum. Students in grades 6–12 who are dealing with drug or addiction-related issues in their families may attend the district’s Crossroads alternative school (713-802-4768) with a referral from the student’s current campus.

For more information on health insurance, immunizations, school-based clinics, medical care at school, or mobile healthcare services, call Health and Medical Services at 713-556-7280.