The Chandler Unified School District is partnering with a local nonprofit to offer behavioral health services to its students. The CUSD governing board approved a two-year agreement with the East Valley Dream Center at its meeting Wednesday night.
The organization will operate a resource center at Anderson Junior High School. With the consent of their parents, students will be able to access mental health services and even food and hygiene kits.
Natasha Davis is the district’s director of counseling and social services. She said teachers are seeing a lot of behavioral issues in the classroom and they’re hoping this will help.
“[By] letting them know it’s okay to have those emotions, but there’s an appropriate way and there’s a place and a time to be able to express that," Davis said. "So having services that can really hone in on and focus on providing students and families with that skill set in-turn helps our teachers.”
The agreement comes at no cost to the district. CUSD has several agreements with different community agencies to provide similar services at various schools.
