Legislative Advocacy
Leaders in Student Mental Health & Wellness
Communities In Schools is the largest provider of campus-based behavioral health services for students in Texas. Whether a student is struggling to cope with an emotional stressor at home or is dealing with complex trauma or grief, CIS provides students with mental health and wellness support.
For every $1 of state funding invested in CIS, an additional $3.00 was raised by local CIS affiliates.
Student Re-Engagement & Improving Academic Achievement
Communities In Schools is helping kids stay in school by applying a multi-tiered system of support designed to help close any achievement gaps. By leading reengagement with students disconnected from school and experiencing chronic absenteeism, CIS helps improve student outcomes and attendance. CIS is committed to serving students as they face economic, behavioral, and academic challenges. CIS mental and behavioral health professionals working with students utilize an integrated referral process that invites community, family, and school stakeholders to identify students who have barriers to academic achievement, behavior concerns, or have experienced traumatic events and get them the help they need to overcome.
Over 50 news stories have been written about the work CIS affiliates are doing to help Texas’ struggling students
Cost-Effective & Positioned to Expand
With more than four decades of experience serving vulnerable students and families in Texas, CIS is positioned to provide the services and resources necessary to empower students to realize their boldest aspirations.
More than 127,000 Students Received Individual Case-Managed Services
More than 500,000 Hours of School-Based Mental Health Services Provided to Students across Texas in the 2022-2023 School Year
The demand for CIS’ integrated student support programming was already at an all time high in Texas before COVID-19.
Mental health experts tell us that the indirect impact of COVID-19 on the mental and behavioral health of students could be as damaging as the pandemic itself and will only be increasing in the coming years as the achievement gap widens and learning loss widens because of the COVID slide.
There will be increased need for students to be able to access the mental health and academic support that CIS provides. Because of this, it is paramount that the state increases its investment in CIS by $25 million per year in the next biennium.