District News

WACO, Texas (November 20, 2025) — Waco Family Medicine (WFM) and Waco Independent School District (Waco ISD) have announced a new collaboration to expand access to behavioral health services for middle school students. The initiative will embed licensed behavioral health clinicians directly on school campuses, beginning with pilot programs at Cesar Chavez Middle School, Tennyson Middle School, and G.W. Carver Middle School.

The partnership builds on WFM’s long-standing commitment to delivering comprehensive, community-based care, adding behavioral health services to the organization’s growing portfolio of school-linked initiatives that already include mobile dental clinics and an optometry and vision program currently in development with Transformation Waco and Waco ISD.

“Behavioral health is essential to whole-person health,” said Dr. Jackson Griggs, Chief Executive Officer of Waco Family Medicine. “When students have access to clinical care where they learn and grow, we can identify needs early, treat them effectively, and change the trajectory of a child’s life. As a physician, it feels very natural to ask: what is our role in caring for the whole community? This partnership is one answer to that question.”

Under the new program, WFM clinicians will provide evidence-based counseling and therapy for conditions such as anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, and behavioral challenges. The program is designed to complement, not replace, the vital support provided by Waco ISD school counselors and other support agencies.

“Our students and staff deserve the absolute best we can give,” said Dr. Tiffany Spicer, Superintendent of Waco ISD. “This partnership ensures that students in need have access to compassionate, professional care right on their campuses. It’s a reflection of our shared belief that education and health go hand in hand, and that when we invest in the whole child, we strengthen our entire community.”

The pilot program is scheduled to begin this academic year, with WFM clinicians working closely with campus leadership teams to integrate services into the school environment. Data on student access, clinical outcomes, and school collaboration will inform potential expansion to additional campuses in the future.

“At its core, this partnership is about community,” added Dr. Griggs. “We’re bringing clinical care to the places where students already feel seen and supported. When health care and education work hand in hand, the impact reaches far beyond the classroom.”