School Safety Update and Training
Title IV, Part A
November 8, 2021
LOCAL VIRTUAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
November
Building Our School Mental Health Supports Through STUDENT Data
Wednesday, November 17, 2021, 9-11:30 am MST
Please join us for MTSS:RTI and School Counseling Data and Culturally Sustaining Practices presented by two authors from Making MTSS Work, Dr. Olsen, and Dr. Betters-Bubon. During this professional development, they will deliver on:
a. What are and why use data-driven practices?
b. What are and the importance of culturally sustaining practices and their relationship to data-driven programs?
c. Aligning data within MTSS and the school counseling program
d. Root cause analysis
e. Advanced model of data-driven practices, based on Young and Kaffenberger’s (2019) model
Please register on Click-and-Learn and ZOOM:
https://txr19.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=192132 or with the ZOOM link
https://esc19.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEsfuiorz4uHtBoPa8GYIeOEi4EAiKBiX9Y
Federal Program Director's Update
TEA's Tier Training in-person offered by the ESC
Virtual Training and resources Statewide
Child Abuse & Human Trafficking
Child Abuse & Human Trafficking Prevention
TEA/TIVA Human Trafficking Webinar Series
- December 3, 2021; January 7; March 4, 2022 @ 9:30 am MST
- The flyer is above; times are CST.
TAA Letter - October 28, 2021
Child Abuse and Neglect, including Human Trafficking, Prevention, and Awareness Reminders and Requirements.
4 Ways to Address Child Sexual Abuse in Your Campus Community
- Campus Safety covers ways in which schools can prevent and respond to child sexual abuse through awareness and recognition of the signs of possible abuse.
- Article link
Tools & Resources
- Hundreds of stakeholders are screening high-risk youth for trafficking and exploitation using the CSE-IT tool.
- Commercially Sexually Exploited Youth (CSEY) programs
- Social Media Safety for Teens
- Gaming Safety
- Student Project Kit
- Tips for Tweens
- Peer Education and Mentoring Kit
Bullying Prevention
Student Awareness: "Before You Text" - Bullying and Sexting Course by TxSSC
- Recommended only for those 12 years of age and older
- View the Course
- SB 2050 Relating to bullying and cyberbullying in public schools. Standards and reporting requirements are being created and will be released by TEA.
Suicide Prevention and Intervention
District Planning Guide
The Texas Suicide Safer Schools Roadmap is intended to be used as a planning guide for suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention by Texas school districts. This Roadmap provides public health information based on best practices for suicide prevention, intervention and postvention. It is recommended that each Element be used in the order presented, to ensure a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention planning.
Resources for Suicide Prevention and Intervention is a document released by Texas Health and Human Services that includes State and Federal hotlines, trainings related to suicide awareness and prevention, related websites and apps, links to Evidence-Based Tools, and pertinent information for students.
Culturally-Responsive Approaches to Mental Health and Suicide
Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network released a list of resources:
- The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health within AANHPI Communities
- Understanding and Treating Mental Illness in the Context of Asian Cultures and Anti-Asian Racism webinar recording
- Mental Health in Native American Communities
- Promoting Positive Mental Health Among Indigenous Youth document
- Suicide Prevention in Latinx and Indigenous Populations webinar recording
- Suicide Prevention in Hispanic and Latinx Youth document
- Tailoring Treatment for Gender and Sexually-Diverse Latinx Youth with Suicidal Behaviors
- Prevención del suicidio durante la pandemia COVID-19 | Webinar recording (Spanish offering of the "Suicide Prevention During COVID-19 and Beyond" webinar)
- Evaluando el Riesgo de Suicidio document
Mental and Behavioral Health
TEA's Texas School Mental Health New Website - https://schoolmentalhealthtx.org/
Connect To Care
- 700 evidence-based resources on kids’ mental health, learning disorders, and common parenting challenges — all in both English and Spanish.
- Workshops, professional development, and training are also available for families, caregivers, and educational staff.
Creating Supportive Environments for LGBTQI2+ Students and Staff in Schools
The South-Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Region 6 presents a new webinar series designed to bring together professionals from the school mental health field to share knowledge, lived experiences, affirming practices, and resources to create supportive spaces for the LGBTQIA2+ community in schools in our region.
- Session 2: November 9, 2021
- 5:00pm-6:00pm CT
- Registration Link and Additional Information
Crisis Text Line
On October 15th, the Crisis Text Line officially launched their Spanish service. By texting HOLA to 741741, the individual will be taken through an automated introduction before connecting with a Bilingual English/Spanish crisis counselor.
New Courses Available from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network COVID-19 Summit
The NCTSN is pleased to announce that courses on Grief and Loss, Maltreatment and Interpersonal Violence, Schools, and Suicide and Substance Use are now available on the NCTSN Learning Center! These trainings are free through the Learning Center, and participants are able to earn 1 CE credit per course.
Promoting Traumatic Stress Growth in the School Environment
The Social Work Online Institute is hosting an online webinar that will focus on emotional wellness of students in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other traumatic experiences. Analogies will be presented for helping students learn to cope with loss and grief issues, along with an introduction of school-wide activities that promote traumatic growth and resiliency.
- November 30, 2021 at 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST
- $30 - non-NASW members | $20 - NASW members
- Registration Link
Promoting Children’s Emotional Well-Being and Resilience - New Tools
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, with support from the CDC, developed a series of free tools that teach healthy ways for children and teens to deal with stressful situations. These tools include web-based, short, interactive videos and graphic novel-style documents based on scenarios from children’s daily lives that will help them cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges both in their current lives and in the future. The tools are available in English and Spanish.
Re-Engaging Students and Closing the School-to-Prison Pipeline
The Sentencing Project's recently published resource provides insight into the many unique challenges facing students of color, those from low socioeconomic families, English language learners, and individuals with disabilities. This article also offers the next steps for educators and communities in order to reengage students in schools and help to close the school-to-prison pipeline.
Supporting and Protecting the Rights of Students at Risk of Self-Harm in the Era of COVID 19
The U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights jointly issued guidance to support students with mental health disabilities and their schools in the era of COVID-19. The guidance underscores the importance of supporting students with mental health disabilities who may be at risk of self-harm and provides information about Federal civil rights laws that protect students with mental health disabilities, including scenarios that illustrate when either Department might investigate whether a violation of those laws has occurred. It also gives schools and postsecondary institutions a list of action steps to create a school environment that is responsive to students with mental health disabilities and provides educational and crisis resources for students, families, and educators.
The American Institute of Stress
- The AIS website is a resource focused on educating and managing stress, improving human health, and providing stress-related topics from mental health professionals.
- Website Link
ABC Summit 2021 Resources - Now Available
Following the completion of the 5th Advancing Behavioral Health Collaborations Summit in September, session recordings and access to the materials are now available!
- Session 1: Recording | Session Materials
- Session 2: Recording | Session Materials
- Session 3: Recording | Session Materials
- Session 4: Recording | Session Materials
- Session 5: Recording | Session Materials
School Safety
Behavioral Threat Assessment
Prevention is the best form of protection. The Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) publishes research and guidance to inform the best practices in implementing proactive targeted violence prevention programs in schools, including:
- Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model: An Operational Guide for Preventing Targeted School Violence
- Protecting America’s Schools: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Targeted School Violence
- Averting Targeted School Violence: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Plots Against Schools
When conducted properly, a threat assessment will involve providing robust interventions and support for students experiencing distress, thereby intervening with and de-escalating situations before they become violent. The primary objective of a student threat assessment is to provide a student with help while working to ensure positive outcomes for the student and the community.
Frugal, Flexible, Efficient: Upgrading Campus Safety on a Shoestring Budget
Campus Safety has released a downloadable resource to assist districts with shrinking budgets in being able to respond to increasing threats of violence to people and property. This document utilizes data from a New Jersey school district that was able to integrate their existing systems to improve their emergency response.
- For additional information and to download the free guide, visit the Campus Safety webpage HERE!
Webinar: Why Most Schools are NOT Fully Prepared for a Lockdown
This educational webinar, sponsored by Campus Safety, will provide education on the challenges a school faces during a lockdown or active shooter event and why most schools are not best positioned for rapid response due to limitations with their currently used technology. Additionally, speakers will focus on how to utilize technology to best assist in emergencies involving active shooters.
- November 10, 2021 at 2:00pm EST
- Registration Link
TikTok Challenge Becomes a School Safety Challenge
New challenges on TikTok's social media platform have lead schools to begin questioning where harmless trends - such as dancing - crosses the line into dangerous and potentially even criminal activity. Campus Safety's article gives an overview of these recent issues and provides examples of ways that other schools are responding.
Texas School Safety Center
- School Behavioral Threat Assessment: Virtual
- Digital Threat Assessment Training: In-Person (see link for training dates)
- SRP/SRM Train-the-Trainer: In-Person and Virtual - this training has had recent updates
New and Updated Trainings through the TxSSC
- Multi-hazard Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) Development Series: Introductory Course
- Charter School Safety & Security Requirements Course
- Access these and more through the TxSSC Learning Portal!
The Sandy Hook Promise - Start with Hello Virtual Training
- This program teaches students how to be more inclusive and connected. Activities and curricula are available for all ages.
- Training Link
Texas School Safety Center - Parent's Guide to School Safety Toolkit
This toolkit, created specifically for parents, includes an introduction to key school safety topics, an overview of relevant Texas laws/policies, and provides information that will help equip parents to best support their child and the school.
Deadlines and Due Dates
November Reporting: Threat Assessment/SSSP
- Data Collection - November 2021 - TEA will send a Qualtrics survey to Superintendents on data collected September 1, 2020 - August 31, 2021. See proposed data collection here
- Required training for ALL SSSP Team members: Virtual TxSSC Threat Assessment Training or check with your ESC about in-person training.
- Recommended Digital Threat Assessment training for SSSP Team members offered virtually.
District Audit Reports
- At the end of the Safety Audit process, schools will be required to submit a District Audit Report to Texas School Safety Center.
- August 2023 - Public schools expected deadline.
- August 2022 - Charter schools expected deadline.
Emergency Operation Plans and Annexes can be requested at any time by Texas School Safety Center.
- HB 3597 now allows Texas School Safety Centers to request that schools submit safety-related MOUs and Mutual Aid Agreements.
Safety Audits
- September 2020 - August 2023: Public schools should conduct a safety audit of facilities
- September 2019 - August 2022: Charter schools should conduct a safety audit of facilities
Parenting Resource
- Parenting Tips
- School Safety State Initiative Parent Mental Health Resources, Region 14
Statewide Parental Involvement Conference
TEA TIV, Part A: School Safety State Initiative
TEA Title IV, Part A: Student Support & Academic Enrichment
USDE T4PA Center
Kimberly Guerrero
Email: koguerrero@esc19.net
Website: https://www.esc19.net/
Location: Region 19 Education Services Center, Boeing Drive, El Paso, TX, USA
Phone: 915-780-5334
Twitter: @guerrerokim4