To help increase access to much needed mental health support services, a free statewide initiative called Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) has been implemented in school districts across the state.
Community Impact sat down with Dr. Claire Kirk, a licensed clinical psychologist for TCHATT and assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UTMB Health, and Kristina Ford, interim director of counseling and student services in Clear Creek ISD, to talk about the program and how it has benefitted students.
What is the overview of the TCHATT program?
Dr. Kirk: The goal is to provide free, high-quality mental health care services to kids in school districts all across Texas. The UTMB coverage area includes Clear Creek ISD and others. It's a telehealth program, meaning all of our services are done virtually. We have iPads in the schools so kids are able to attend sessions, either at school with a caregiver present, or from home with a caregiver present on their own personal device, like a smartphone or tablet.
How does Clear Creek ISD participate in this program?
Ford: We began this partnership at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year. All of our CCISD counselors have been trained in the process of referring a family to receive TCHATT services. Once our counselors identify a family whose student would benefit from these services, they work alongside the family to ensure all paperwork is complete and that it is submitted correctly. The best part about this partnership is the access our families are able to achieve. Receiving telehealth services in their home or in our Counseling and Student Services building has been instrumental in ensuring our students receive the help they need.
How does UTMB Health facilitate the program?
Dr. Kirk: We have admin staff who assist the personnel at each school district to get the program up and running. We help support any technological difficulties. A child will be referred from the school counselor, and then by the time I see them, I have a little bit of an idea of what they're coming in for, and then I complete a psychological evaluation. I'm getting background by talking with the parent and the child privately, to get each of their perspectives on what they are struggling with and why they were referred to our program. This can range from inattention and hyperactivity learning difficulties to anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, to name a few. We help a lot of families after the loss of a loved one or a scary and traumatic event. Once we have a good idea of what is going on, then we schedule the follow-up session, and that's when we start to provide an evidence-based treatment for that child.
How is the program funded?
Dr. Kirk: It’s been funded through the state. It was a Senate bill passed a few years ago. It's a part of the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium. It's an overarching umbrella grant that the TCHATT program is a part of.
What kind of effects has this program had on students?
Ford: This program provides access, support and removes some barriers for our families to get the help that their students need. We're able to find out if a student has a mental health concern, connected with the family and if they are supportive, typically within a week, our students are receiving support. Being able to witness that student working alongside their parents rather than by themselves and then the parent getting some support as well has been wonderful. Just in one session, you see that support so quickly, and the buy-in from students and parents.
Dr. Kirk: We really have the ability and privilege to get in there and help kids and families early and can really help set them on a much more positive trajectory. We hope to be able to help them function better across various settings in their lives, whether that's school, home, with friends or activities. We're also able to reach kids who otherwise wouldn't necessarily be able to make it to treatment due to a variety of barriers. We also see lots of families who've recently migrated from Central and South America or other countries that we’ve been able to get the help that they need. We have interpreter services available that will translate those sessions for us live.
To learn more about the TCHATT program, visit the website. More information on CCISD’s experience using the program can be found in this video.