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Slide #1 Professional Perspective, Audience and Topic

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Slide #1 Professional Perspective, Audience and Topic

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According to the Standards Required for the Principal as Instructional Leader Certification, a principal "creates an atmosphere of safety that encourages the social, emotional, and physical well-being of staff and students, and ensures that parents and other members of the community are an integral part of the campus culture" (19 T. A. C. §241.15).

It is the duty of the principal to establish a positive school culture ensuring the active involvement of all community stakeholders - faculty, staff, students, school board members, parents and community members. These stakeholders must work together to create a safe and supportive school environment for the students.

This legal and ethical guide concerning Youth Mental Health is for educators and parents, as they work together to create a safe and supportive environment for the students.

Standards Required for the Principals as Instructional Leader    Certification, 19 Tex. Admin. Code § 241.15 (2018)

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Youth mental health is a major concern across the state of Texas. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the traumas of Hurricane Harvey and the school shooting at Santa Fe brought youth mental health to the attention of school teachers and administrators as they worked to help students deal with these tragedies.

According to the 2019 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance survey for Texas high school students:
·         38.3% reported experiencing sadness or hopelessness daily for two weeks or more so that they stopped doing some usual activities within the past 12 months

·         18.9% seriously considered attempting suicide within the past 12 months

·         15.0% made a plan how they would commit suicide within the past 12 months

·         10.0% actually attempted suicide one or more times within the past 12 months

These concerns led the 86th Texas Legislative session to pass several bills relating to youth mental health in Texas public schools, including House Bill 18 and Senate Bill 11.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020), High School YRBS data, Texas 2019 results, Retrieved from https://nccd.cdc.gov/Youthonline/App/Results.aspx?LID=TX

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The American School Counselor Association (www.schoolcounselor.org) provides a webinar entitled "Back-to-School: Supporting Students in their Return to School" that highlights the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will have on students' mental health upon their return to school. The webinar includes strategies and resources for schools to use to provide safe, supportive learning environment, and buffer the negative experiences and risk behaviors.

Back-to-school: Supporting students in their return to school. American School Counselor Association. (2021, August 4). Retrieved from https://videos.schoolcounselor.org/back-to-school-supporting-students-in-their-return-to-school.

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Back-to-School: Supporting Students in their Return to School

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Students’ return to school this fall will be particularly important; many students will be...

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Back-to-School: Supporting Students in their Return to School

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This article describes the national trends in mental health care of adolescents in the United States from 2005 to 2018. The study compiled data related to different socio-demographics, types of mental health problems, and treatment settings including number of sessions and overnight stays in inpatient settings.

Mojtabai, R., & Olfson, M. (2020). National Trends in Mental Health Care for US Adolescents. JAMA Psychiatry, 77(7), 703–714. https://doi-org.easydb.angelo.edu/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.0279

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National Trends in Mental Health Care for Adolescents

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This survey study examines national trends in the care of different mental health problems and in different treatment settings among adolescents who responded to the 2005-2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

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Researchers have identified possible risk factors for mental health problems in the future based on current trends, including disruption of daily routine, reduction of physical activity, increased screen time, reduction in play and time with friends.

Penner, F., Hernandez Ortiz, J., & Sharp, C. (2021). Change in youth mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in a majority Hispanic/Latinx Us Sample. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 60(4), 513–523. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2020.12.027

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Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

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Change in Youth Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Majority Hispanic/Latinx US Sample

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Children and adolescents, individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups, and those with mental health conditions may be at greater risk for worsened mental health because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined change in mental health from before to during the pandemic among predominantly Hispanic/Latinx adolescents.

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Every Student Succeeds Act (2015)

Source of Law: Federal Statutory Law

Link: http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=20+usc+6301&f=treesort&fq=true&num=134&hl=true&edition=prelim&granuleId=USC-prelim-title20-section6301

Summary: This law holds public schools accountable for how students learn and achieve. It aims to provide equity in education to all students, including those that require special education services.

Citation: Every Student Succeeds Act, 20 U.S.C. § 6301 (2015)

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Texas Education Code §21.054 Continuing Education

Source of Law: State Statutory Law

Link: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.21.htm

Summary: House Bill 18 adds training on substance use disorders for new teacher certification and continuing education for classroom teachers to include educating students with a mental health condition, intellectual or developmental disabilities and students who engage in substance abuse. Continuing education for principals must not include effective implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program, mental health programs addressing mental health conditions, and educating students with intellectual or developmental disabilities or mental health conditions or who engage in substance abuse.

Citation: Tex. Educ. Code § 21.054 Continuing Education. (2019). Retrieved from https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.21.htm

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Texas Education Code §33.005 Comprehensive School Counseling Programs

Source of Law: State Statutory Law

Link: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/docs/ED/htm/ED.33.htm

Summary: A comprehensive school counseling program under Section 33.005 must now conform to the most recent edition of the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs developed by the Texas Counseling Association. The program meets the needs of all students, and the school system itself, through four components: Guidance Curriculum. Individual Planning, Responsive Services, and System Support.

Citation: Tex. Educ. Code § 33.005 Comprehensive School Counseling Programs. (2019). Retrieved from https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/docs/ED/htm/ED.33.htm

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Texas Education Code §38.013 Coordinated Health Programs for Elementary, Middle, and Junior High Students

Source of Law:State Statutory Law

Link: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/SOTWDocs/ED/htm/ED.38.htm

Summary: The Texas Education Agency must provide  one or more coordinated health programs for elementary, middle, and junior high school, that includes physical health education, mental health education, substance abuse education, physical education or activity, and parental involvement.

Citation: Tex. Educ. Code § 38.013 Health and Safety. (2019). Retrieved from https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/SOTWDocs/ED/htm/ED.38.htm.

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Slide #10 Local Administrative Law/Policy/Rule

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Slide #10 Local Administrative Law/Policy/Rule

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EHAA (Legal ) - Basic Instructional Program - Required Instruction (All Levels)

Link: https://pol.tasb.org/Policy/Download/1059?filename=EHAA(LEGAL).pdf

Summary: In addition to to the required foundation curriculum, the district will offer an enrichment curriculum that includes languages other than English and Health, with emphasis on physical health, including the importance of proper nutrition and exercise; mental health, including instruction about mental health conditions, substance abuse, skills to manage emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and responsible decision making; physical education, fine arts, career and technology education, technology applications, religious literature, and personal financial literacy.

Citation: Richland Springs ISD. (2020). EHAA Legal.

Source of Law: Local Administrative Law/Policy/Rule

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The Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators states that the educator "shall comply with state regulations, written local school board policies, and other state and federal laws" (19 T. A. C. § 247.2, Standard 1.7).

To ensure that educators are in compliance of all state regulations, written local school board policies and other state and federal laws, we must continue to stay informed of new laws or amendments of laws that affect education. We must complete additional training in Youth Mental Health, specifically to include training on suicide prevention, recognizing signs of mental health conditions and substance abuse, how grief and trauma affect student learning and behavior and how evidence-based, grief-informed, and trauma-informed strategies support the academic success of students.

Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators, 19 Tex. Admin. Code § 247.2 (2018)

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Texas State Texas School Safety Center

The Texas State Texas School Safety Center provides a valuable resource for teachers and parents as they work together to create a safe and supportive school environment for students. The website provides research, webinars, training opportunities and toolkits for all community stakeholders.

Link: https://txssc.txstate.edu/

Citation: TXSSC. Home | Texas School Safety Center. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://txssc.txstate.edu/.

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A Parent's Guide to School Safety Toolkit

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A Parent's Guide to School Safety introduces key school safety topics, highlights relevant Texas laws, and provides specific information that you, as a parent or guardian, and your child, need to know. The guidance and resources will equip you to support your child and your child's school.

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Slide #13 Bulleted List of Recommendations/Best Practices for Compliance

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Slide #13 Bulleted List of Recommendations/Best Practices for Compliance

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Schools should provide opportunities and times for school personnel to complete required training during the regular school day. Teachers should not have to complete this training on their own time, after school or on the weekends.

Schools should focus on re-engaging students in the school community, strengthening relationships between students and school staff, and nurturing the resilience of the students.

School faculty and staff should be aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse, neglect, violence, and be ready to respond.

Schools should offer parents and family members opportunities to get involved in the school community.

School faculty and staff should be aware of their own triggers and stressors and have tools and strategies to calm and regulate themselves. These tools and strategies  could then be shared with others who might be affected by grief, trauma, or other issue.

Be present. Be calm. Be compassionate. Be grateful.