CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Over the course of nearly 40 years, across 18 different school districts and 65 different school campuses, the impact that Communities in Schools only continues to expand. An impact that is felt not just on-campus, but at home.
"We work really closely with counselors, social workers, teachers, administrators, to identify students that just may need somebody to listen to," explained Christa Creek, chief program officer for Communities in Schools of the Coastal Bend.
Creek and her team credits the work of on-campus case managers, who are always there for students ready to help fill the gap of whatever it is they may be needing. At times that's homework help, but other times, it may be their families that need extra help with bills and utility support.
And with the holiday break quickly approaching, Creek wants to remind students that even though they are away from campus, Communities in Schools is accessible to students and their families year-round, and that their case managers are always available.
"They can reach out to them [case managers] if they need to talk, if they have a situation, if they have anything going on, they can most definitely reach out," said Creek.
She said CIS realizes that, for many students, school-work concerns may be the least of their concerns compared to what could be going on at home.
"When kids are worried about if they're going to have food at home, or a home to live in or water running, their mental health is not going to be strong and able to process at school," Creek said. "They're not worried about what 2+2 is. They're worried about if there's going to be something to eat when they get home."
Creek says over the years, especially since the pandemic, the outreach for mental health support and resources has grown.
"It has been a lot. There's a lot more awareness about mental health, and I think the students and the families they understand it more."
Which is why creating a robust team to nurture that mental-health component has been especially crucial to fill the gaps in helping students be successful, on-campus and at home.
It's where special program coordinators like Taylor Mills and Gloria Fletcher come in.
"Whether it's a basic need, whether it's a school supply, we're there, but we also really want to focus on their health - whether that be physical, mental - we just really want to make sure they have somebody they trust to come to, so that's our job," said Mills.
"Whatever they [students] need, A-Z, we're going to try to figure out to make that need met."
In addition to being the quality assurance coordinator, Gloria Fletcher is also a licensed master social worker.
"Everybody has mental health, we're not saying mental illness, we're saying mental health, and so we all have to take care of that," Fletcher said. "So, that's a part of what our case managers do when they're doing these presentations."
Presentations that at times can tackle heavy topics, such as suicide awareness or mental health 'first aid,' but are approached with a sense of comfort, safety and understanding.
A big reason for that, is because as Fletcher explained, much of their staff is also equipped with mental-health training so that they are not pouring from an empty cup.
"For us to make sure that our staff, they're equipped, that they're ready to service and support the students," Fletcher said.
Community outreach is also very important to CIS' mission. They partner with local organizations such as Family Counseling Services to offer counseling to students as well as Somos Yoga studio.
Communities in Schools - The Coastal Bend is constantly monitoring and updating their social media pages to help families be in the know of what all resources there are available to them year-round, in various communities.
You can follow their Facebook page by clicking here.
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