HEALTH CARE Frisco ISD o ers mental health resources, counseling for students
A RISE IN STATEWIDE SUICIDE RATES While Texas was ranked 36th in the nation for suicide mortality rates in 2020, the state has experienced an increase in suicide mortality in the years since 2000.
2000 2020
Age Range
Number of suicides per 100,000 population
BY ALEX REECE
out to all of the district, Cook said. While only a few grades take it, the completion rate is typically 95% or higher, Cook said. The backstory The anonymous users whose survey answers re ect they could be experiencing depression or anxiety are then highlighted so district sta can see which grades or campuses have higher rates, Cook said. Those areas with higher rates of students experiencing depression or anxiety can then be included in lessons that address how students can cope with any overwhelming feelings, Cook said. “We’ve created an infrastructure, but that infrastructure is also highly responsive to campus trends and needs,” Cook said. “While we are similar across Frisco, we’re very unique on some of our campuses.”
Frisco ISD o cials have incorpo- rated mental health resources for students as the state continues to see an increase in suicide mortality rates. Texas was ranked 36th in the nation for suicide morality rates in 2020, according to Texas Health and Human Services. The overview At FISD schools, the overall number of students experiencing depression and anxiety has gone down, said Stephanie Cook, FISD’s managing director of guidance and counseling. “Our hospitalization numbers, though, have doubled because for those that are experiencing that, it’s more acute than it was before the pandemic,” Cook said. Students’ mental health is tracked through anonymous surveys that go
2
10-14
2.7
9.2
15-19
12.8
SOURCE: TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMUNITY IMPACT
“EVEN THOUGH IT’S ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY, IT IS ABOUT WELLNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH.” STEPHANIE COOK, FISD’S MANAGING DIRECTOR OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING
The details Students can scan a QR code and be immediately signed up for an appointment with the school counselor, or immediately report suspicious or threatening behavior on social media through an app, Cook said. “Even though it’s about school safety, it is about wellness and mental health,” Cook said. The district also partners with
entities such as Frisco Threads that help students get clothing or gift cards they may not have been able to get on their own, FISD Assistant Director of Communications Korinna Kirchho said. “We’re thankful for the com- munity members, the community businesses [and] the community that’s willing to support our students and our teachers and our campuses,” Kirchho said.
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