Stating the importance of mental health support, Pearland ISD Trustees this month renewed an agreement with the local mental health authority for crisis support and other services.
Through the agreement approved on June 9, Gulf Coast Center will provide crisis intervention, risk assessments, referals to local resources and substance abuse services.
“There’s only so much we can do within a school setting with the budget that we have,” Trustee Crystal Carbone said. “Our student support counselors are an immeasureable asset to our district, but these outside entities really supplement what we need for our students.”
During the recently ended school year, Pearland ISD documented 197 suicidal ideations, Berger told board members at the June meeting.
“That’s in high school, middle school, junior high and elementary across our district,” he said. “Having the partnership with Gulf Coast District has been invaluable in supporting our students and families during mental health crises.
At that meeting, several parents addressed the school board during public forum asking the district to more fully investigate reports of bullying on campuses.
“We talk about mental health as a priority, but when bullying is not addressed, we are actively contributing to the problem,” one parent said, citing incidents of bullying that recently resulted in-patient mental health treatment for one student.
“This is not just a policy issue,” he said. “This is a mental health issue. When bullying is not addressed, students express stress, anxiety and fear in a place where they are supposed to feel sale.”
The district’s policy mandates that reports of bullying be investigated and requires disciplinary action when cases are confirmed.
