Newsletters
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Welcome to our Safety Always First in Education newsletter!
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Check below for the most current and archived newsletters.
Contact Us
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Center for Safe and Secure Schools
A Division of Harris County Department of Education
6005 Westview
Houston, TX 77055
Phone: 713-696-0771
2023
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February 2023
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2022
2021
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December 2021 - Let's recharge for the New Year!
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October 2021 - Fall is Here!
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September 2021 - Welcome to September!
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May 2021 - Hurricane Preparedness
View the below May 2021 newsletter or download the pdf version.
May 2021May 2021Hurricane Preparedness(Courtesy of Lone Star College)Hurricane season runs from June 1 – November 30. We want you to be prepared, both at work and at home. Please take the time to review these valuable resources to keep your family safe and prepared:CSSS HappeningsCSSS Member Spotlight: Galena Park ISD's Mental Health Intervention TeamGalena Park ISD’s Mental Health Intervention Team (MHIT) is an interdisciplinary team comprised of Licensed Mental Health/Substance Abuse Professionals, Social Services Specialists and VOCA Crisis Intervention Specialists.The MHIT provides an array of services for students, staff and parents including:- campus visits to support the growing mental health and emotional needs during a crisis event;
- prevention and intervention mental health and substance abuse services; and
- ongoing training and support on important topics related to mental health and substance abuse (including community members.)
As a team, they provide ongoing training and support to staff, students, parents, and community members on important topics related to mental health and substance abuse. As a team, they are committed to reducing the stigma surrounding mental health and substance use disorder. The MHIT’s goal is to foster the mental health and wellness of GPISD’s students, parents and staff by creating a safe space for them to share their experiences and thoughts with a sense of reassurance, compassion, trust and optimism.The MHIT works collaboratively with campus administrators, counselors, and district-level staff to support the district’s mission statement to prepare students to become productive citizens and lifelong learners.Team Members:Dr. Karen Haynes, LPC-SFrankie Buggs – Social Services SpecialistMelody Burr – District Substance Abuse CounselorBianca Cardenas – Social Services SpecialistRene Hernandez – Social Services SpecialistLaToya Jordan – VOCA Crisis Intervention SpecialistShawn Langellier – VOCA Crisis Intervention SpecialistAndrea Rojas – VOCA Crisis Intervention SpecialistClimate and CultureMental Health First Aid TrainingWhy take a Mental Health First Aid course?Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. This training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care.According to Mental Health First Aid:- One in five American adults experience a mental health disorder in a single year.
- Almost half of all Americans will experience a mental illness during the course of their lifetime.
- More than 20 million Americans, ages 12 and older, will face an addiction.
Save the datesCSSS will offer Youth and Adult Mental Health First Aid trainings on the following dates:Adult Mental Health First AidYouth Mental Health First AidThese courses include a self-paced, 2-hour training component in addition to a 4-hour live virtual component for a total seat time of six hours.Take Care Tuesday PodcastThe Center for Safe and Secure Schools’ “Take Care Tuesday” podcast debuted in June 2020 and has performed phenomenally. In addition to our listeners in the United States, we’ve had listeners from Ireland, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Germany and Singapore.Available now:- Jarad Davis (Director, Wraparound Services for HISD) discusses with Cierra Nickerson, “Nurturing the Whole Child” (New!)
Access current and prior podcasts.BJA STOP School Violence GrantGrant-Supported Professional Development TrainingSocial Media and Online Threat Assessment TrainingIn 2021, the BJA STOP School Violence grant will focus heavily on providing social media and online threat assessment trainings during the first half of the year.Youth Mental Health First AidYouth Mental Health First Aid is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations.Walk It Like You Talk It: Building and Restoring Connections before ContentThis 1-1/2 hour training engages participants in building strategies to establish community in the classroom (virtually or face-to-face).Mindfulness for Teachers: How to Incorporate Mindfulness in the ClassroomThis 1-hour workshop will provide participants will the fundamentals of mindfulness, meditation, self-awareness, and various active mindfulness exercises to promote healthy well-being.Intro to Restorative PracticesThis training allows participants to experience the impact of a virtual Restorative Circle. Participants will have an opportunity to experience a community building circle process and develop the skills to plan and facilitate a virtual Restorative Circle.Upcoming Trainings / Save The DateVirtual Workshops:May- May 19 – Youth Mental Health First Aid (8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
June- June 1, 3, 8 and 10 (4-Days) – Implicit Bias Awareness Series (4 - 6 p.m.)
- June 9 – Threat Assessment Planning: Looking Through a 20/20 Lens (9 a.m. - noon).
- June 23 – Youth Mental Health First Aid (8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
In-Person Workshops:JuneCenter for Safe and Secure Schools | A Division of Harris County Department of Education6005 Westview, Houston, TX 77055 -
April 2021 - Upcoming Workshops
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Register Today.Week of April 26, 2021Upcoming Workshops and EventsBasic ICS for Campus AdministratorsThis course introduces Incident Command System (ICS) and provides the foundation for higher level ICS training. It describes the history, features, principles and organizational structure of the system. This course explains the relationship between ICS and NIMS and covers single resources and initial action incidents designed to teach personnel how to operate efficiently during an incident or event within the Incident Command System (ICS). This part of the course provides training on and resources for personnel who are likely to assume a supervisory position within the ICS. There will be tabletop scenarios in the training to illustrate how ICS is used in the school emergency response environment.Workshop location: Zoom Meeting platformThreat Assessment Planning: Looking Through a 20/20 LensThis workshop will feature a presentation from law enforcement focusing on reducing confrontation with police. The emphasis will be on being smart about how you incorporate police officers in the threat assessment process and social media law concerning threats made away from the school building. The workshop will provide a proactive, evidence-based approach for identifying individuals who may pose a threat and for providing interventions before a violent incident occurs.Workshop location: Zoom Meeting platformNote: The Basic ICS training is a prerequisite for this course.Basic NIMS for Campus AdministratorsThis course provides an overview of the National Incident Management System (NIMS). NIMS defines the comprehensive approach guiding the whole community - all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and the private sector- to work together seamlessly to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to and recover from the effects of incidents. The course provides learners with a basic understanding of NIMS concepts, principles and components.It also covers an introduction to National Response Framework (NRF) where the goal is to provide guidance for the whole community. Within this broad audience, the NRF focuses especially on those who are involved in delivering and applying the response core capabilities.Workshop location: Zoom Meeting platformTime: 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.Time: 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.Youth Mental Health First AidThis course teaches professionals and caregivers how to identify, support and respond to a young person in crisis and non-crisis mental health situations.Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of adolescent development, common signs and symptoms of mental health needs and a five-step action plan to address/support a young person in need.Time: 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.Workshop location: Zoom Meeting platformTime: 4 - 6 p.m.Workshop location: Zoom Meeting platformCenter for Safe and Secure Schools | A Division of Harris County Department of Education6005 Westview, Houston, TX 77055