CHANDLER, Ariz. — Thousands of students return to the classroom in Chandler on Wednesday, marking the district's first day of school. Along with academic issues, another aspect of student life will be a top priority.
This year, the Chandler Unified School District is emphasizing mental health care for its students.
As students and families get back into their routines, they'll notice more mental health and wellness supports across all district schools, CUSD said.
One of the biggest changes is this will be the first year they’ll have a counselor and or social worker at every one of their school sites, district officials said. That professional will provide tier-one care across the board and can make referrals to community agency partners.
At Perry High School, CUSD officials said they piloted a teen mental health first aid program for all juniors in the 2022-2023 school year. It's set to expand this year.
Natasha Davis, CUSD's Director of Counseling and Social Services, said they also just won a state project award suicide prevention grant. That will bring on six more social workers trained in teen mental health first aid.
Another big ask from the community last year was for a student mental health and wellness advisory group. That is well underway this year. One student representative from every secondary school site will meet once a quarter and talk about teen mental health issues on campuses.
Riana Alexander, a Chandler High School graduate who expressed concerns about these topics last year, said she's thankful for all of the improvements the district has made.
“So great, I think there’s still a long way to go," Alexander said. "But I think it’s a great step and I think every student in that building felt so heard and listened to.”
Davis said the district welcomes mental health support feedback from the community.
“My tag line the last year or so has been if you’re mad or sad you can’t add," Davis said. "I think if we are missing supports we welcome that conversation. I don’t think there can be decisions without discourse. If that’s our students or community members wanting to talk about lack of service in certain areas or whatever it may be, we welcome that discussion.”
A student mental health conference is also on the calendar in the beginning of September. A couple hundred secondary students will learn about suicide prevention and more.
Teen suicide is a health crisis in Arizona and across the Nation. Suicide is the leading cause of death among young people in the U.S., according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Now, a project in the Chandler School District is being built to save lives. The first Hope Institute in Arizona is under construction at Perry High School. This is where any student with thoughts of suicide in the Chandler School District will soon be able to come for treatment.
The Hope Institute is an outpatient clinic, where students can come up to four times per week. They can stay in school and at home while receiving treatment. Research shows the treatment is effective in children in about five weeks, according to CUSD. And the institute in Arizona has a goal of never having a waitlist for Chandler students.
Lindsay Taylor, the clinical director of the Hope Institute in Arizona, said students are referred through the counselor or social worker at their school. Their family is contacted and the child is seen within 24 to 48 hours. It’s a time period crucial for children and teens, as our mental health care system is overrun.
“It’s vital, because we’re talking suicide here and that is a crisis level need," Taylor said. "We are talking difference between life and death with suicide. We need to be able to see these kids and their families right away.”
Once a student finishes care at the Hope Institute, CUSD said they can be referred to a more long-term therapist if needed. Virtual services are also available.
There are talks about opening a second Hope Institute at the north end of the Chandler community after the beginning of next year, so there are no barriers to receiving care.
Taylor said this Arizona Hope Institute location is only the second one to open in the U.S. The other is in Ohio, and more are in the works in Atlanta, Colorado and Michigan.
CUSD said the Arizona location is set to open on Sept. 1.
>> Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
12News on YouTube
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.