From the cover
Need for student mental health support increases
The context
The overview
Bluebonnet Trails and Integral Care found that isolation from the pandemic, alongside increased social media use and cyberbullying, have contrib- uted to a rise in youth mental health issues. Both organizations have seen an increased need for their services since 2020. “We’ve seen a notable increase in depression, trauma and completed suicides,” Buchanan said. From 2018-22, suicide deaths among youth and children in Austin have risen by 65%, according to Austin Public Health. Bluebonnet Trails observed a rise in admissions
to its youth therapeutic respite program in Round Rock, which provides therapy, case management and medication to ages 5-17, Janes said. “Our crisis teams are very, very busy, especially during the school year,” said Brinti Mueck, direc- tor of youth and family mental health operations for Bluebonnet Trails. The Williamson County mental health author- ity provides case managers who train students on coping skills, Mueck said. LHISD may refer a student to Bluebonnet Trails if they face a crisis, suicidal ideation or require grief support, Richardson said.
In LISD, a growing percentage of the district’s 42,500 students need increased mental health services. Referrals to LISD’s Student and Family Support Team of 15 licensed counselors and social workers increased by 33% from the 2021-22 to 2023-24 school year, according to LISD data. LISD is on track to surpass referrals to its Student and Family Support Team from last school year, with 690 referrals as of early November, said Haley Simmons, Student and Family Support Team coordinator, at a Nov. 7 board meeting. LHISD had 112 referrals to its school mental health counselors as of late December, compared to 117 the previous school year. District officials have expressed frustration over a lack of state funding. Meanwhile, the districts have increased the amount of funding they put toward guidance counseling services in recent years. The Leander Educational Excellence Foundation has paid for mental health specialists for LISD students post- pandemic. Since 2020, the district has hired additional therapists amid increased student referrals, two of which LEEF is continuing to fund after federal grant funding expired. LHISD has hired a new counselor to serve students each year since 2021, LHISD Counseling Coordinator Jamie Richardson said. The team of five provide counseling focused on building skills, including relieving anxiety or stress. Bluebonnet Trails Community Services and Integral Care have partnered with LISD and LHISD to provide additional support for students, including case management and crisis response services. “The schools sometimes feel like they need more resources, and certainly we want to be a part of that solution where we can,” Janes said. Students may also receive counseling through Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine, or TCHATT—a state-funded telehealth counseling program. In the 2025 legislative session, LISD is asking state lawmakers to invest in mental health resources and behavioral interventions amid “increasing mental health challenges, such as anxiety, depression and trauma,” district documents state.
Symptoms of mental illness in children and youth
Withdrawn or disinterested
Change in behavior
Change in weight
Drop in grades
Increased activity online
SOURCES: INTEGRAL CARE, BLUEBONNET TRAILS COMMUNITY SERVICES/COMMUNITY IMPACT
The approach
counseling with a parent’s consent. If students need more help, the district may refer them to its Student and Family Support Team. The district may refer students to an outside provider if they need more than eight to 10 therapy sessions, Clark said. In LHISD, students can receive counseling from licensed mental health counselors based on the severity of their needs and access to support, Richardson said.
LISD and LHISD provide several layers of mental health support for students. Although school counselors help students with academic planning, they are the first point of contact for mental health concerns, LISD Director of Counseling Steve Clark said at a Dec. 10 community event on school safety. “People think of school counselors as the people who change their class schedule, when really, they’re much more than that,” Clark said. Districts provide several layers of mental health support for students. LISD students may receive individual or group Continuum of care Students in LISD may receive one or several forms of mental health support depending on their need.
• Travis County • 512-472-4357 (24/7 helpline) Integral Care Bluebonnet Trails Community Services • Williamson County • 800-841-1255 (crisis hotline) If your student is experiencing di culty with mental health, the following local organizations are available to help:
Students with identified needs
Outside referral
SFST counseling
Individual and small group counseling
All students
Counseling curriculum, group activities and academic planning
SOURCE: LEANDER ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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