HOUSTON, May 8, 2024 – Communities In Schools of Houston (CIS) was represented at the Harris County Commissioners Court meeting on May 7 to speak about its mental health support services. During the meeting, County Judge Lina Hidalgo and the Commissioners Court officially proclaimed May as “Mental Health Awareness Month.” The Harris Center and the UH Health Family Care Center – University of Houston were also on the agenda to talk about the importance of mental health services for children, teens and adults.
Speaking on behalf of CIS was Chanelle Omiwade, LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) and Program Director for Communities In Schools of Houston, who discussed the importance of accessibility to mental health supports for students of all ages. CIS is the largest provider of mental health services to schools in the Harris County area through its Mental Health Initiative, launched in 2012.
Omiwade noted that for the past 45 years, CIS has been supporting students’ mental health and well-being through evidence-based practices and relationships with trained professionals on campuses. CIS and its partners see students with anxiety, depression and trauma and work to address these and other issues. They also work to “bridge the gap” so that teachers can concentrate on teaching.
Additionally, Omiwade thanked the Commissioners Court for the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) grant CIS received from Harris County in 2021 which has allowed for expansion of critical mental health services. Health was one of the Court’s priorities to be earmarked for ARPA funds, which totaled $161 million. Of this, CIS received funding of nearly $618,000, which was designated to bring more mental health partners onto CIS campuses for individual counseling and support groups.
Mental health partners are one prong of the three-part CIS Mental Health Initiative. The other elements include CIS campus-based mental health professionals and the CIS Mobile Mental Health Team, which travels to campuses as needed. Partner agencies include Bo’s Place, The Council on Recovery, DePelchin Children’s Center, Family Houston, Mental Health America, Montrose Center, Nick Finnegan Counseling Center and re:MIND.
“CIS was honored to be on the Commissioners Court’s agenda as May is proclaimed ‘Mental Health Awareness Month’ in Harris County,” says Lisa Descant, CEO of Communities In Schools of Houston. “We appreciate the Court’s confidence in our work serving students in need all over Harris County to ensure strong mental health supports are in place. The ARPA grant allows us to reach even more students through our partnerships with mental health-centric agencies.”
Descant noted that Mental Health Awareness Month reinforces the need for mental and behavioral health services from elementary school through college. Early intervention is the key to success in getting students on a healthy track mentally, physically, emotionally and academically.
CIS serves 163 school campuses in six school districts across Greater Houston. At least one full-time CIS staff member (Student Support Specialist) on each partner campus ensures basic needs are met, delivering direct services, providing mental health services, and connecting students and families with much-needed community resources. During the 2022-2023 school year, CIS mental health professionals served more than 7,500 students and CIS mental health partners served 642 students on 100 campuses, totaling nearly 26,000 hours of mental health support for CIS students.
At a time when the need for mental health services on school campuses is high, Communities In Schools of Houston continues to ensure that the students it serves receive the professional support needed to survive and thrive. For more information about the Communities In Schools of Houston’s Mental Health Initiative, please visit www.cishouston.org/mental-health-initiative.
Throughout the month of May, in order to support and sustain Communities In Schools of Houston’s mental health programming, all donations made to CIS will go directly to the Mental Health Initiative. CIS relies on charitable donations to help to bring critical mental health services to students across the Greater-Houston area. To donate, visit www.cishouston.org/donate.
Link to photos here
Photo credit: Courtesy of Communities In Schools of Houston.
About Communities In Schools of Houston
Communities In Schools of Houston (CIS) is an organization that empowers every student, regardless of race, zip code, or socioeconomic background, to realize their potential in school and beyond. During the 2023-2024 school year, CIS is serving 163 school campuses across Greater Houston. CIS places at least one full-time staff member on each partner campus to deliver direct services and to connect students and families with needed community resources. We collaborate with more than 300 community partners each year to help students see, confront, and overcome the barriers that stand between them and a brighter future. CIS works alongside students, families, alumni, and stakeholders to create meaningful change that impacts lives today and generations to come.