Provider Buy-In for CYBHI: Best Practices from District Leaders
Successfully implementing CYBHI requires more than new billing and documentation processes. It also requires supporting school-based providers as they take on new workflows while continuing to serve students and families.
During our recent webinar, Providers: The Key to CYBHI Success, April Torres, Mental Health Programs Director at San Mateo Union High School District and Ivan Rodriguez, Mental Health Services Coordinator at Visalia Unified School District shared lessons from their implementation journeys.
1. Start with the “why”
Provider buy-in begins before training or technology implementation. April framed CYBHI as recognition for work clinicians already provide. “We did not want our clinicians to feel like they were suddenly becoming billers. They’re clinicians first,” she said. “We’re capturing and getting credit for work they’ve already been doing.”
2. Involve providers early
Providers are more likely to engage with change when they have a voice in the process. At Visalia Unified School District, Ivan brought social workers into the EHR evaluation process, giving frontline providers a voice in selecting a system that they’ll use every day.
3. Roll out in phases
Districts do not need to launch CYBHI across every provider role at once.
At San Mateo Union High School District, April’s team started with clinicians before planning to expand CYBHI to school counselors. Visalia Unified School District took a similar phased approach, starting with school social workers and treating the first year as a chance to learn before scaling.
Ivan described that first year as “year zero,” emphasizing the value of testing, learning, and adjusting before scaling. “We’re just learning,” he said. “We’re gonna make mistakes, and we’re gonna learn from them, and we’re gonna pivot.”
4. Make documentation practical
Clear, practical guidance can make new documentation expectations feel more manageable for providers. At San Mateo Union High School District, April’s team created a guide connecting providers’ existing work in Aeries with TadHealth processes, giving staff a reliable reference point as they adapted to the new process.
5. Invest in provider development
CYBHI implementation can also be an opportunity to invest in the long-term growth of the providers delivering care. At Visalia Unified School District, Ivan’s team used grant funding to support clinical training, supervision, and licensure development, helping six clinicians become licensed in the past year.
As Ivan put it, “It’s about developing those skills because that translates directly to our kids.”
6. Give providers room to learn
New billing and documentation expectations can create uncertainty, even when providers understand why it matters. Ivan emphasized the importance of giving teams time to process change, while April described normalizing that anxiety as part of a significant shift in how school-based mental health operates.
Over time, progress may show up in the questions providers ask, moving from “Why are we doing this?” to more practical questions like “Is this service billable?” and “How should I document this?”
Provider buy-in is not a one-time milestone. As April put it, “It’s something that you continue to build.” When providers understand the purpose behind CYBHI, have a voice in implementation, and receive practical support throughout the process, districts can make CYBHI work in a way that lasts.
If your district is looking for a support strengthening provider or staff buy-in for CYBHI, click here to request a staff buy-in strategy session.
