May 11, 1pm-4pm, session 269262

Trauma-Sensitive Schools - Setting up for Success (for Administrators)

June 6-7, 7:30am-4pm, session 241353

Coordin8 School Nurse Conference

June 8, 9am-4pm, session 266804

Behavior Threat Assessment

June 9, 9am-1pm, session 275082 (working lunch)

Youth Mental Health First Aid

June 16, 9am-4pm, session 246310

17th Annual Teen Suicide Prevention Symposium

Online, On-Demand Courses

• Human Trafficking for Superintendents, session #252332
  
• Human Trafficking for School Boards, session #252323
• SB 11: The Omnibus School Safety Bill Canvas Course, session # 252334
• CBITS & SSET, session #257779

*Watch our live calendar at https://tinyurl.com/23d8cp2r

Training available to schedule on-site:

• Behavior Threat Assessment (to train your Threat Assessment/Safe and Supportive Schools Team)
• Behavior Threat Assessment TableTops (for your Threat Assessment/Safe and Supportive Schools Team to take an in-depth look at how your team operates and work through a case)
• Digital Responsibility & Social Media Safety (to train your students)
• True Colors (offered for students and staff as a team-building/self-awareness opportunity)
• AS+K Suicide Prevention (to train staff)
• Youth Mental Health First Aid (to train staff)
• Trauma-Sensitive Schools (to train staff)

*Contact us for pricing and to schedule.

Save the Date and Register for Ruby Payne on July 15th! This is a conference focusing on keeping schools safe through behavioral/mental health and inclusive support strategies. Ruby Payne will lead the keynote in the morning, while the afternoon focuses on supporting special populations, inclusive practices, trauma, and coping.

While the title is school safety, do not let that fool you. The conversations will apply to the whole school!

Lunch is provided by a vendor, and school safety vendors will be on-site to visit about supporting our schools.

https://txr12.escworks.net/catalog/multivenue.aspx?isSearch=0&event_id=275984

This year's Teen Suicide Prevention Symposium will include information about the new "988" Mental Health Crisis line, Mental Health 101: Adolescent Edition, updates on our Local Mental Health Authorities, and an interview with an LGBTQ teen about the importance of mental health and support as well as a panel of mental health providers who will discuss what they have been seeing in these past two years. The cost is $45, but ESC Region 12 Counselor Co-op members may attend at no charge. You won't want to miss this event!

1. SAMHSA presents a Mental Health Awareness Month Webinar Series

https://mailchi.mp/health-emailupdates/save-the-date-hudsamhsa-national-mental-health-awareness-month-webinar-series?e=df98c7d8ff

2. Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Week

May 1-7, 2022

National Children's Mental Health Awareness Week is the first of May and shines a spotlight on the importance of caring for every child's mental health. Never has this been more urgent, as the nation and state see an alarming rise in the incidence of mental health concerns in children.

Join the Texas System of Care on MAY 2 for our 2022 website launch at https://www.cmhtexas.org/ We’ll have speakers, videos, games, activities, resources, and more!

Want to get involved in Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Week? Check out the Texas toolkit at https://cmhaustin.weebly.com/texas-toolkit.html and learn what you can do to increase awareness and acceptance of children’s mental health.

Encourage children and youth to share their superpower at https://cmhaustin.weebly.com/share-your-superpower.html.

3. U.S. Department of Homeland Security shared information about creating a safer environment by cultivating a positive school climate.

School climate refers to the quality of school life and is a broad, multifaceted concept that involves many aspects of a student’s educational experience. Research suggests that a positive school climate can lead to a significant decrease in the likelihood of crime, aggression, and violent behavior on a school campus, as well as result in improved student outcomes.

A positive school climate reflects attention to fostering social and physical safety, providing support that enables students and staff to realize high behavioral and academic standards, and encouraging and maintaining respectful, trusting, and caring relationships throughout the school community.

To support schools in cultivating a positive school climate, the SchoolSafety.gov team developed a two-page infographic, which outlines strategies for consideration as well as guides, reports, tools, trainings, and other resources.

We encourage you to read and share this infographic with others in your school and district to help all members of the kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) academic community – including administrators, principals, teachers, school staff, and parents – foster a positive school climate and build safe and supportive learning environments for our students.

4. Check out the Dibble Institute's April Newsletter.

https://app.getresponse.com/view.html?x=a62b&m=BS7FAO&mc=I7&s=BEPdGYN&u=Sabv&z=EtmsFjp&

5. The National School Safety Center presents:

• Trauma-Informed, Resilience-Oriented Schools Toolkit Section 2 (https://www.nc2s.org/resource/trauma-informed-resilience-oriented-schools-toolkit/)
• Trauma-Informed, Resilience-Oriented Schools Toolkit Section 3 (https://www.nc2s.org/resource/trauma-informed-resilience-oriented-schools-toolkit/)

6. In 2020, Congress designated the new 988 dialing code to operate through the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s (1-800-273-8255) network of over 200 locally operated and funded crisis centers across the country. On July 16, 2022, the U.S. will transition to using the 988-dialing code, offering an unprecedented opportunity to strengthen and expand the existing Lifeline. The vision for 988 is to have additional crisis services available in communities across the nation, much the way emergency medical services work.

7. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is excited to announce Lisa Morgan, Co-Chair of the Autism and Suicide Committee of the American Association of Suicidology, will be returning to conduct an encore of her training “Suicide Prevention for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.” The training will be held on May 18, 2022 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. CDT. To register for the training please use this link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7196523928287392270

8. MHTTC shares their monthly newsletter

https://mailchi.mp/mhttcnetwork.org/mhttc-pathways-april_2022?e=fbff4e3158

9. The Child Mind Institute presents tools to help handle behavior problems

https://www2.childmind.org/webmail/908232/587995535/3d19582fbd7da27a922563a26f85318e751b1798be80be1d4e88a3e75878feae

10. The Department of Homeland Security shared:

• Youth Violence Prevention Resources for K-12 Schools
  This two-page infographic illustrates the issue of youth violence, strategies to address it, and a sampling of related resources, programs, and tools available through the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse.
  
• New CDC Data Illuminate Youth Mental Health Threats During the COVID-19 Pandemic
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new data from the Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey highlighting the magnitude of the challenges our nation’s youth faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings also showed that school connectedness had an important effect on students during a time of severe disruption. Read more about the data – as well as how schools can act as a critical venue to provide support.
• DHS Releases Fact Sheet on Efforts to Combat Child Exploitation and Abuse
  The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Child Exploitation Investigations Unit – part of the Homeland Security Investigations Cyber Crimes Center – leads the nation in the fight against online child sexual abuse. With interagency partners and other DHS offices and agencies, DHS brings to bear its full resources in combating these heinous crimes. Reference the recently released fact sheet from DHS.

11. Allies Against Slavery shared these common myths about human trafficking and why they're false:

MYTH #1: Traffickers typically kidnap their victims.

FACT: Most child sex traffickers operate by building trust with victims, and manipulating them into sexual exploitation. Oftentimes, traffickers spend a significant amount of time grooming their victims so that when the moment comes where exploitation occurs, the submission is a conditioned response.

MYTH #2:

Every child is at equal risk for sex trafficking.

FACT: As with adults, children who have certain other risk factors are also going to be more at risk for trafficking. These include children who have been abused or faced trauma, children in unstable living situations and children in families battling addiction. Traffickers are smart so they go after the child that does not have a strong support system. The one that nobody would really notice is missing or acting strangely.

MYTH #3:

Traffickers are often strangers who choose their victims at random

FACT: Traffickers can be, and often are, relatives, neighbors or other people well known to the victim. According to the Counter-Trafficking Data Collaborative “in over 60% of cases, victims are familiar with their traffickers.”

1. Sign up for the Virtual Advanced Digital Threat Assessment Training. This training is designed for individuals who are responsible for investigating online threats and have previously completed the Basic Digital Threat Assessment training through the Texas School Safety Center. (https://txssc.txstate.edu/events/adv-dta-trainings/)

2. Sign up for the Virtual Threat Assessment Training. (https://txssc.txstate.edu/events/sbta-trainings/)

1. Light the Way - End Human Trafficking

2022 Summit

June 14-16

Dallas, Tx

2. Registration is open for the 2022 Texas School Safety Conference!

Themed Keeping School Safety a Priority: A Collaborative Approach

Registration

Early: $350 – Ends May 27, 2022

Late: $400 – Begins May 28, 2022

Conference Dates:
June 19 - 23, 2022

Location:
San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter

https://txssc.txstate.edu/events/tss-conf/

3. THE 9TH ANNUAL TASRO SAFE SCHOOLS CONFERENCE

When: June 27, 2022 08:00, CDT
Where: Hilton Palacio del Rio, 200 South Alamo Street, San Antonio, TX 78205-3213

https://tasro.org/Conference

4. Campus Safety Conference 2022

July 18-20

Fort Worth, TX

1. Gun Free Schools Report Opens on May 3rd and is due June 29.

Should wait to submit the report until the last day of school is completed.

2. Safety Audits
Public Schools should conduct a safety audit of facilities from September 2020 through August 2023.

Charter Schools should conduct a safety audit from September 2019 through August 2022.

3. District Audit Reports

At the culmination of the Safety Audit process, schools are required to submit a District Audit Report to the Texas School Safety Center.

The Public School expected deadline is August 2023.

The Charter School expected deadline is August 2022.

4. Threat Assessment/SSSP

Collection period September 1, 2021 through August 31, 2022 is due in June 2022 by Qualtrics survey. TEA will send a Qualtrics survey to Superintendents to collect data.

This is a sample copy of the 21-22 SSSP Survey (https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/news-and-multimedia/correspondence/taa-letters/safe-and-supportive-school-program-update).

Required training for ALL SSSP Team Members, virtually or in-person through TxSSC or your ESC.

Recommended Digital Threat Assessment training for SSSP Team members through TxSSC and is offered virtually.

5. Emergency Operation Plans and Annexes

Can be requested at any time by TxSSC.

HB 3597 now allows TxSSC to request that schools submit safety-related MOUs and Mutual Aid Agreements.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Y3gFfgAmEHBbLQMpZdoT7_EIhN-2ebTn

--

Crystal Robinson, M.Ed.

Education Specialist

RTI, MTSS, 504

254-297-1217

www.esc12.net/sped

ESC Region 12 offers professional development, expert support and guidance in meeting Title IV, Part A state and federal requirements, including student access to a well-rounded education, school conditions for student learning improvements, and the use of technology to improve the academic achievement and digital literacy of all students.

Suzanna Avalos, School Nurse Grant Coordinator

David Baker, ESC 12 Clinical Mental Health Liaison

Jeni Janek, Education Specialist III/Coordinator

Heather Wheeler, Education Specialist

Email: hwheeler@esc12.net
Website: esc12.net
Location: ESC Region 12, West Loop 340, Waco, TX, USA
Phone: 254-297-1166
Twitter: @R12SafeHealthy