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Guidance and counseling updates: Laredo ISD renews MOU with SCAN; Project AWARE training supported through 2026
Summary
Laredo ISD guidance and counseling staff presented a memorandum of understanding and an update on services from SCAN (Serving Children and Adults in Need), including Project AWARE-funded trainings that have helped the district meet state House Bill 3 training requirements.
Cindy Dominguez, director of guidance and counseling, told the Student Services Committee on Sept. 2 that Laredo ISD has a longstanding collaboration with SCAN (Serving Children and Adults in Need) dating to 1996 and presented a memorandum of understanding that the district will submit to Business Support for board consideration at a regular meeting.
Dominguez described SCAN’s services and programs — prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery — and said the agency serves approximately 10,000 children, adolescents and adults annually across about 16 South Texas counties. She said most SCAN services to Laredo ISD are provided free to students.
Project AWARE, a multi-year grant referenced by Dominguez, has supported district training to comply with House Bill 3, Section 5, which requires training for employees who work with children. Dominguez said the grant-funded training has enabled the district to exceed a 50% training threshold set by the state for the 2025–26 school year and that the Project AWARE grant will continue through 2026. Trainings are offered in English and Spanish, in person and virtually; the certification from the training is valid for three years.
Dominguez explained that SCAN provides treatment referrals, and that the district’s counselors and SCAN’s licensed professional counselors (LPCs) work together on individualized referrals, including on-site services at district facilities when appropriate. In cases of severe risk such as a student making a suicide outcry, Dominguez said campuses typically refer to regional behavioral-health providers and SCAN provides supplemental support depending on the treatment plan.
Trustees asked for data on how many students receive SCAN services; Dominguez said she would provide detailed counts by program upon request. The MOU will be routed through business support for board approval at a future regular meeting.
No formal committee vote occurred on the item during the meeting.
