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CUSD updates counselors, Hope Institute and teen mental‑health training; board questions third‑party presence
Summary
District counseling leaders reported a school‑based counseling and social‑work program with one counselor/social worker on every campus, Hope Institute referral and completion figures, teen mental‑health first aid rollout and community partnerships; a board member objected to third‑party providers operating on campuses.
Natasha Davis, director of Counseling and Social Services, presented a multi‑part update to the Chandler Unified School District board on Dec. 11 that covered staffing, prevention/intervention work, the Hope Institute partnership and community programs designed to support students and families.
The presentation opened with staffing and credentials: Davis said every campus has at least one school counselor or social worker, that staff hold master’s degrees and Arizona Department of Education certification, and that counselors serve prevention, intervention and postvention roles including suicide and threat assessments.
Hope Institute and mental‑health data: Lindsay Taylor, clinical director of the Hope Institute, said the center has received nearly 300 referrals since it opened in September and reported a roughly 90% completion rate for students who entered the program. District prevention staff said threat‑assessment data and suicide‑assessment counts have been tracked district‑wide (for example, 640 suicide assessments in 2022–23 and 858 in 2023–24), and staff described how increased identification and reporting can affect year‑to‑year totals.
Teen Mental Health First Aid and training scale: Presenters described a targeted rollout to 11th graders across high schools as part of a five‑step framework (look, ask, listen, connect, friendship) and said more than 2,700 students in several schools had completed sessions to date, with plans to reach more than 4,200 students district‑wide after rollout to remaining sites.
Community partnerships and on‑site services: The department listed MOUs with external organizations (Community Bridges, East Valley Dream Center and others) that provide services ranging from diversion programs to in‑school clinical partners. Board member Missus Serrano objected to third‑party providers being located on campuses and called the practice "mission creep," while the superintendent and staff said such partnerships are longstanding, governed by MOUs, intended to reduce staff burden and expand services to students who otherwise would lack access.
Why it matters: District leaders said these services and partnerships are a response to rising student needs and that prevention and early intervention are central to keeping students safe and academically engaged. Presenters also noted grant funding (MetLife grief‑sensitive schools grant) used for staff training and crisis response capacity.
What’s next: Because of time constraints the board skipped questions; staff offered follow‑up by email and agreed to provide additional data on request, including historical suicide and threat‑assessment trends.
