Student Mental Health Resources Overview
An individual’s mental health is impacted by their biology, by the messages they absorb from the media, by their relationships, and by the neighborhood and school communities in which they spend their time. Compromised mental health can impact all areas of a student’s life, including their ability to thrive in school. Students struggling with mental health may have trouble concentrating in class, act out or withdraw into themselves, and may find it difficult to connect with peers. In 2021, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory to draw attention to youth mental health challenges and to provide guidance for how individuals and institutions (including youth themselves, their families and caregivers, and schools) can support mental wellness in youth.
At Chaparral Star Academy, administration, teachers, and staff work to create positive, inclusive campus cultures. We encourage students to ask for help when they are struggling (academically or emotionally) and normalize talking openly about mental health. Our teachers receive instruction in trauma-informed practices and are taught to be aware of changes in student behavior and attitude that may reflect mental health challenges and how to connect students to campus supports.
If you have concerns about your child’s mental health, reach out to the front office (or by phone at 512.989.2672) or Heather Lyftogt, Student Support Counselor, for support on school days during school hours.
If your child is experiencing a mental health emergency, call:
- 911 and ask for a mental health officer
- Travis County Sheriff’s Office Crisis Intervention Team (CIT): (512) 854-3430
- Austin Police Department Crisis Intervention Team (CIT): (512) 854-3450
- Integral Care – MCOT: Mobile Crisis Outreach Team (512) 472-HELP (4357)
- Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988 (call or text)