Dozens of students and community members addressed the Hamilton County Board of Education during the meeting's public-comment period to urge the board to restore Centerstone mental-health services in county schools.

Students and parents said the services provided on-site counseling and crisis intervention that some families cannot otherwise afford. “Please choose to be the light for those who are suffering right now,” student speaker Ada Herndon said, addressing the board. Alexis Porter, another student speaker, cited national data: “In 2023, CDC found that 4 in 10 students had persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness,” she said, adding that untreated mental health problems can lead to suicidal behavior.

The pleas included personal accounts. Student speaker Mark Herndon (adult ally/speaker) described family and community impact; pediatrician Kathleen Hunt said her experience in emergency medicine showed the difference early intervention can make and asked the board to “bring [Centerstone] back into the school while you're awaiting the RFQ proposal.” Parent and resident Matt Adams described his own history with anxiety and said Centerstone employees provide critical, nonjudgmental support for students without other supports.

Why it matters: speakers said on-site counselors offer crisis management, suicide prevention and support for everyday emotional needs; several students and adults framed the issue as life-and-death, saying removal of the provider reduces access to care for vulnerable students. Multiple student speakers — including Mabry Connor, Lillian Bies, Audrey Clark, Rayna Wright and Molly Hampton — described personal or peer experiences and urged the board to restore the service.

Board policy and process: speakers invoked the board's public comment rules and noted prior board action. Audrey Clark referenced the board's last meeting, saying a motion related to Centerstone had been tabled. Several speakers asked that an interim decision not eliminate services while the district completes its request-for-qualifications (RFQ) process.

What the board said and next steps: the meeting transcript contains no formal motion or vote on reinstatement during this session. Board members did not take action during the public-comment segment shown in the transcript; presenters later moved on to the district's quarterly update on academic measures. Several speakers asked the board to act quickly or to restore services in the interim while a competitive procurement is completed.

Context and background given by speakers: student testimony stressed the role of counselors in suicide prevention, classroom crisis response and stigma reduction. Kathleen Hunt, identified as a pediatrician and Hamilton County resident, said in her 25 years of practice she had repeatedly seen young patients who might have been helped earlier if school-based services were available. Multiple speakers framed the debate in moral and religious terms; several urged the board to consider compassion and public-health consequences rather than ideology.

Ending: the public-comment portion concluded without a board vote on Centerstone. Members of the public asked the board to prioritize restoring on-campus counseling access during the RFQ process; the transcript indicates the board proceeded to the scheduled work-session agenda and data presentation without taking immediate reinstatement action.