In our schools today, young students face unprecedented mental health challenges. These struggles impact their ability to focus on education and thrive. Unfortunately, not everyone has equal access to mental health services. But you can make a difference. By bringing mental health services directly inside school walls, we can lift the burden of trauma, depression, anxiety, and more from our students. Your gift matters. Join us in creating a healthier, happier learning environment.
Donate now to bring hope to students across Houston.
The Mental Health Initiative
The Mental Health Initiative (MHI) provides students in crisis with interventions that alleviate emotional and behavioral challenges, enhance coping skills, improve student emotional and physical health, and in turn, academic achievement. Students in need of counseling services are identified by referrals from school principals, teachers, parents, peers and CIS staff.
The CIS Mental Health Initiative began in 2012 serving 300 students in just 5 schools, and now CIS provides more mental health direct services to students in schools than any other provider of mental health services.
During the 2023-2024 school year, CIS licensed mental health professionals served 8,026 students and CIS licensed mental health partners served 672 students across 107 campuses, totaling 28,078 hours of mental health support for CIS students.
The MHI is a Three-Part Program:
Campus-based mental health professionals from CIS, the CIS Mobile Mental Health Team, and our partner mental health agencies provide mental health counseling, support groups, and referrals to students and their parents. Interventions target conflict in the home, grief and loss, verbal or physical aggression, anxiety, depression, identity issues, suspected drug/alcohol use, and unusual behavior.
mobile mental health team
Each school year the number of campuses across the Houston area requesting additional CIS mental health support has incrementally increased. To help address this growing need, CIS of Houston launched the Mobile Mental Health Team in Fall 2019. Currently, our Team is working across 32 school campuses in 4 major school districts (Alief ISD, Houston ISD, Spring ISD, Spring Branch ISD).
Meet the team:
Esther Kwak, LCSW
Mental Health Support Specialist
Aisha Bartholomew, LMSW
Mental Health Support Specialist
Tiffany Pham, LCSW
Mental Health Support Specialist
Laura Sanchez, LMFT, LPC
Mental Health Support Specialist
Amanda Thompson, LMSW-IPR
Mental Health Support Specialist
“The Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute has worked with districts across the state to understand the real-world challenges students face, particularly those in crisis or who have experienced trauma. CIS ensures their students have access to the support they need to cope with mental health challenges and is a critical partner to student well-being in Texas.”
Aaron recounts his difficulty in school, “I was recently diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and I needed a lot of help. It was hard to get up in the morning, and I was falling behind in school. I needed someone to turn to. CIS was there for me,”
Students with unmet mental health needs risk school failure, social isolation, and dropout unless their problems are addressed by responsible adults. Our mental health professionals use evidence based methods to help students cope with complex trauma, guide their identity formation, manage grief and loss, reduce and/or prevent substance abuse, and ultimately thrive through depression and other mental illnesses.
“CIS helped me find a place where I wasn’t judged, where I could be heard and understood. Over time, I learned how to manage my frustration, and get back on track in my classes.”
“Matching student need directly to services inside the schoolyard, is what sets us apart. If you want to make sure they get the service, meet them where they are!”
Strengths-Based, Youth-Focused, Collaborative, Systemic, Holistic
STRENGTHS-BASED
YOUTH FOCUSED
COLLABORATIVE
SYSTEMIC
HOLISTIC
“Our focus on student mental health and wellness supports educators so that they can focus on what they do best- academics!”
Our Mental Health Partners
