1. Counselor Training for staff 2017-2018
CPS
Suicide Awareness
Referring a student to the counseling office
Counseling office: Chill Out Area

2. Child protective services (cps)
Your legal responsibility by Texas state law:
“Anyone who suspects that a child has been or may be abused or neglected has the legal responsibility, under state law, for reporting the suspected abuse or neglect to law enforcement or CPS. Any district employee, agent, or contractor has an additional obligation to submit the oral or written report within 48 hours of learning of the facts giving rise to the suspicion.”
Abuse/ Neglect can be physical, sexual,
or emotional

3. Who makes the report? How Do I report? 1-800-252-5400 or
The person who receives the initial outcry is RESPONSIBLE for making the report to CPS
Counselors are happy to help, but we cannot make the report for you.
How Do I report? or
Visit the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and report online

4. Things to have on hand when making a report:
Name and address of student
Parents’ names
Birthdate
You’ll be asked to explain your concerns/ what you’ve seen and heard, etc.

5. CPS Will my report be kept confidential?
State law requires that anyone making the report of suspected child abuse or neglect be kept confidential.
Will I be liable in any way for making a report?
A person who reports or assists in the investigation of a report of child abuse or neglect in good faith is immune from civil or criminal liability. If the student discloses or outcries to you, you have to make the report.
Counselors will be available to sit with you or make the call with you, but YOU MUST make the report.
What happens if I don’t report my suspicions?
You put the child at risk for continued abuse
You are violating the law and may be subject to legal penalties
You are violating board policy and may be subject to disciplinary action, including termination.
Your certification from the State Board of Educator Certification may be suspended, revoked or cancelled!

6. So What are We Looking For?
Frequent injuries such as bruises, cuts, black eyes, or burns without adequate explanations
Frequent complaints of pain without obvious injury
Burns or bruises in unusual patterns that may indicate the use of an instrument
Lack of reaction to pain
Aggressive, disruptive, and destructive behavior
Passive, withdrawn, and emotionless behavior
Fear of seeing parents or going home
Injuries that appear after a child has not been seen for several days

7. Other Signs Obvious malnourishment Lack of personal cleanliness
Torn or dirty clothing
Stealing or begging for food **
Child unattended for long periods of time
Need for dental or medical care
Frequent tardiness or absence from school
Physical signs of sexually transmitted diseases
Evidence of injury to the genital area
Pregnancy in a young girl
Difficulty sitting or walking
Extreme fear of being alone with adults of a certain gender
Knowledge of sexual relations beyond what is expected for a child’s age
Sexual victimization of other children

8. Signs of Emotional Abuse and Examples
Over compliance
Low self-esteem
Severe depression, anxiety, or aggression
Difficulty making friends or doing things with other children
Lagging in physical, emotional, and intellectual development
Caregiver who belittles the child, withholds love, and seems unconcerned about the child’s problems
Exposure to domestic violence
Rejection
Name-calling
Excessive Demands
Threatening Severe Punishment
Blaming, Shaming, or Criticizing

9. Suicide Awareness
House Bill 1386 in the 82nd Legislative session requires that public school districts now put in place policies to generate more awareness of the early warning signs and a possible need for early mental health intervention and suicide prevention.
KISD legal policy outlines the requirements for all district staff that regularly interact with students to receive training on the early warning signs and the possible need for intervention.

10. Suicide Awareness
Please, take each comment made seriously (even if you think it is not a true outcry)
Report it to the campus counselor or an administrator as soon as possible so that the appropriate steps can be taken
Do not leave the child unsupervised
Do not let the student leave school without having spoken with someone to assess safety
Students will be given information about prevention through guidance

11. Suicide Awareness Warning Signs to be aware of:
A suddenly deteriorating academic performance
Self-mutilation
A fixation with death or violence
Unhealthy peer relationships
Volatile mood swings or a sudden change in personality
Indications that the student is in an unhealthy, destructive, or abusive relationship
Risk-taking behaviors
Signs of an eating disorder
Journal entries/art
More information? See the counselors

12. Suicide Awareness
If you are concerned about a student’s safety, DO NOT send an …
Have a teammate help keep an eye on the student
Come find a counselor or administrator.
If for some reason, you cannot find one of us/ it’s in the evening/ we’re out of school, etc., please do one or more of the following:
Contact parents by phone/ in person and let them know of your concern
Call police or CPS and let them know of your concern

13. Referring a student
Students/ parents can self-refer to the counseling office, but you’re welcome to ask for our help as well!
Please send us an to let us know that you have a student you’d like us to see
You can send kids down during the school day, and we will do our best to see them as soon as possible.
If we can’t meet with them right then, we’ll send them back to class and call them down as soon as we’re available.

14. Chill out area
We’ve added an official “Chill Out Area” to our counseling area.
If you have a student who needs a break/ seems agitated/ has escalated behavior, you’re welcome to send them down to this area.
We’ll help students understand how to use the space appropriately.
Our plan is for 10 mins of chill out time when someone comes down…not the whole period! 
Kids will sign in/ sign out and we’ll have timers on hand
We’ll check in on these students (if we’re available), but the intent is for kids to use the space to help calm themselves down

15. Questions? Please let us know!
Madeleine Savage: Last Names A-G
Melanie Loy: Last Names H-O
*starting at TMS 9/22/17
Kristin Lorton: Last Names P-Z