SHOOTING. KSAT EXPLAINS IS UP NEXT. IT IS TIME FOR BACK TO SCHOOL.
BUT EVEN AMONG THE EXCITEMENT
OF THIS TIME OF YEAR, IF YOU’RE
ALSO WORRIED ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S
SAFETY, YOU ARE FAR FROM ALONE,
FAR FROM IT. NO MATTER THE
DISTRICT OVER THE AGE OF YOUR
STUDENT’S SCHOOL SAFETY.
A HUGE CONCERN IN THE WAKE OF
THE HORRIFICHOOTING IN
UVALDE.
>> IN RECENT YEARS THE TEXAS
LEGISLATURE PASSED LAWS TO
ADDRESS SCHOOL SAFETY AND
MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS AMONG
STUDENTS. IT HAPPENED AFTER YET
ANOTHER SCHOOL SHOOTING IN THE
STATE. THAT TIME IT WAS AT
SANTA FE HIGH SCHOOL OUTSIDE
OF HOUSTON. IN TODAY’S KSAT
EXPLAINS, WE BREAK DOWN THOSE
PIECES OF LEGISLATION AND WHAT
THEY WERE INTENDED TO DO.
>> ON 5/18/2018, A TEENAGE
GUNMAN SHOT 12 PEOPLE AT SANTA
FE HIGH SCHOOL. 10 OF THOSE
VICTIMS DIED. BOWL.
JUST OVER A YEAR LATER ON
6/6/2019, GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT
SIGNED INTO LAW SEVERAL BILLS
AIMED AT MAKING TEXAS SCHOOLS
SAFER THAT WILL
>> DO MORE THAN TEXAS HAS EVER
DONE.
TO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS SAFER
PLACES. THE LEGISLATION FOCUSES
ON A HANDFUL OF AREAS ADDING
FUNDING, INCREASING TRAINING,
ADDING MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
AND CREATING COUNCILS AND
COMMITTEES THAT ARE SUPPOSED
TO MAKE SURE THE NEW
REQUIREMENTS ARE FOLLOWED.
A FIRST STOP IS SENATE BILL
11. IT CREATED THE SCHOOL
SAFETY ALLOTMENT. IT SETS ASIDE
50 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
NOW THE WAY THIS A LOT OF WORKS
IS ACTUALLY EXTREMELY THE
APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN.
THEN YOU’RE DIVIDE THAT AMOUNT
OF MONEY BY THE AMOUNT OF
STUDENTS IN THE STATE. SO IT’S
WHAT’S CONSIDERED A PER PUPIL
PER STUDENT ALLOTMENT. JOSH
SANDERSON, HIS DEPUTY DIRECTOR
OF THE EQUITY CENTER, A
NONPROFIT THAT WORKS WITH MORE
THAN 600 SCHOOL FINANCES.
HE SAYS THAT A LOT BUT CREATED
BY SB 11 AMOUNTS TO $9 AND
$0.72 PER STUDENT PER SCHOOL
SAFETY EACH YEAR. SO
>> YOU’VE GOT SOME VERY LARGE
DISTRICTS THAT HAVE A LOT OF
CHILDREN. MY STUDENTS THAT CAN
GENERATE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNT OF REVENUE WITH THOSE
DISTRICTS ARE FEW AND FAR IF
YOU LOOK AT.
>> VAST MAJORITY OF THE
DISTRICTS IN THE STATE THEY’RE
GETTING GETTING IN ABSOLUTE
PITS COMPARED TO WHAT THEY’RE
ACTUALLY HAVING TO SPEND ON
SCHOOL SAFETY IN THE SENATE.
BILL 11 WENT BEYOND CREATING
THE SCHOOL SAFETY ALLOTMENTS.
WE’LL GET INTO THAT IN A
MOMENT. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO
WHAT SCHOOL SPEND ON SAFETY,
OTHER BILLS OUT OF THE 2019
LEGISLATURE ADDRESSED THAT TO
THERE WAS SENATE BILL 500.
IT PROVIDED A GRANT FOR SCHOOLS
TO AMP UP THEIR SAFETY
MEASURES.
>> IT SET ASIDE 100 MILLION
DOLLARS FOR TEXAS SCHOOLS TO
APPLY FOR 2019 2020. THAT WAS
DESIGNED ESSENTIALLY TO HELP
SCHOOLS GOING AND RETROFIT
THEIR FACILITIES. DOORS LOCKS
VEGETABLE THE ENTRANCES AND
EXITS VEGETABLES AND THAT TYPE
OF THING. THAT WOULD. THAT WAS
A ONE-TIME GREAT, THOUGH.
SO REMEMBER, IT DOESN’T HAPPEN.
YEAR-OVER-YEAR S P 500 ALSO
GAVE 11 MILLION DOLLARS TO
SANTA FE HIGH SCHOOL. ALL OF
THAT MONEY WAS PULLED FROM THE
STATE’S RAINY DAY FUND HIRING
AND TRAINING OFFICERS FOR
SCHOOLS WAS ALSO TOP OF MIND
FOR LAWMAKERS. HOUSE BILL 13 87
REMOVE THE LIMIT OF SCHOOL.
MARSHALS ON CAMPUSES. SCHOOL
MARSHAL IS A SCHOOL EMPLOYEE
WITH A CONCEALED HANDGUN
LICENSE. THEIR APPOINTED BY THE
SCHOOL BOARD AND OTHER GO
TRAINING HOUSE BILL. 21 95
REQUIRED SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO
HAVE AN ACTIVE SHOOTER
EMERGENCY PLAN AND FOR SCHOOL
OFFICERS TO UNDERGO ACTIVE
SHOOTER RESPONSE TRAINING
SENATE BILL 17. 0, 7 CLARIFIES
THE DUTIES OF AN OFF CAMPUS
OFFICER. THOSE DUTIES ARE NOT
TO INCLUDE ROUTINE DISCIPLINE
ENFORCEMENT.
>> HOUSE BILL 4.96 REQUIRED
BLEEDING KITS ON CAMPUS AND
FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF TO BE
TRAINED ON HOW TO USE THEM.
3 BILLS THAT LEGISLATIVE
SESSION ALSO FOCUSED ON
STUDENTS WHO WERE CONSIDERED A
POSSIBLE THREAT. HARASSMENT WAS
ADDED TO THE LIST OF REASONS
THAT A STUDENT COULD BE
EXPELLED STUDENT SUSPENDED FOR
MAKING TERRORISTIC THREATS MUST
HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO SCHOOL
WORK.
>> AND IF THEY’RE ABLE TO
TRANSITION FROM AN ALTERNATIVE
SCHOOL BACK TO A REGULAR
CAMPUS, THAT MUST BE DONE IN
5 DAYS. AND SCHOOLS ARE
REQUIRED TO DO REGULAR REVIEWS
OF THAT STUDENT’S GRADES AND
BEHAVIOR AND MENTAL HEALTH WAS
ALSO A BIG FOCUS FOR LAWMAKERS
AFTER THE SANTA FE SHOOTING.
SO LET’S GO BACK TO SENATE BILL
11. WHY DO YOU THINK WE ARE
HERE? WHY DO YOU THINK WE
CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS
WITH SHOOTINGS AND
>> EPISODES THAT OUR SCHOOL?
WHAT’S WHAT’S THE UNDER LYING?
FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM HERE?
SO THE YOU KNOW, THE UNDERLYING
PROBLEM HERE IS A BEHAVIORAL
ONE SB 11 CREATED THE CHILD
MENTAL HEALTH CARE CONSORTIUM,
12 MEDICAL SCHOOLS ACROSS
TEXAS, INCLUDING UT HEALTH.
SAN ANTONIO ARE PART OF THAT
GROUP. IT HAS 5 INITIATIVES.
THE BIGGEST BEING TEACH AT
THAT’S TEXAS CHILD HEALTH
ACCESS THROUGH TELEMEDICINE.
SO IT’S A PARTNERSHIP WITH
SCHOOLS.
>> THE SCHOOL’S SIGN UP, THEN
COUNSELORS CAN OFFER THE
SERVICE CHILDREN AND
ADOLESCENTS IN THOSE SCHOOLS.
SO THEY TALK TO THE PARENTS AND
THE PARENTS CONSENT. THEN
THEY’RE REFERRED TO US AND WE
PROVIDE WHATEVER MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES ARE NEEDED AND THERE’S
NO COST TO A FAMILY.
>> DOCTOR STEVEN PLITT, SCOTT,
THE PSYCHIATRIST WITH UT HEALTH
SAYS THE REASON STUDENTS WOULD
BE REFERRED TO THIS PROGRAM
CAN VARY FROM BEING STRESSED TO
DEALING WITH SEVERE CASES OF
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. WE’VE
BEEN SEEING INCREASES OVER THE
LAST DECADE, REALLY, BUT THEY
HAVE BECOME MORE PRONOUNCED.
2 WERE SEEN, YOU KNOW, 600
VISITS A MONTH. THE OTHER
INITIATIVES WITHIN THE
CONSORTIUM INCLUDE THE CHILD
PSYCHIATRY ACCESS NETWORK, A
HOTLINE FOR PRIMARY CARE
DOCTORS TO GET ADVICE ON HOW
TO HELP A PATIENT.
>> THERE ARE ALSO INITIATIVES
AIMED AT RESEARCH TO IMPROVE
MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR KIDS
INCREASING THE NUMBER OF CHILD
PSYCHIATRISTS IN TEXAS AND
TREATING PATIENTS THROUGH A
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CENTER
FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES,
FAMILIES THAT JUST DIDN’T KNOW
HOW TO GO TO MENTAL HEALTH
SYSTEM. NOW, THE SCHOOL CAN
JUST HAND THEM A PHONE NUMBER
THAT THEY CAN OR WILL CALL THEM
EVEN
>> SAY REDUCES THE BARRIERS OF
PEOPLE HAD TO JUMP OVER, BUT
IT’S NOT JUST MEDICAL
PROFESSIONALS TRYING TO
INCREASE MENTAL HEALTH
AWARENESS, HOUSE BILLS, 18 19
INCREASED TRAINING FOR
EDUCATORS TO HELP IDENTIFY
MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS AND
STUDENTS AND REQUIRES EACH
REGION IN THE STATE TO HAVE
ONE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL
WHO IS NOT A DOCTOR. THEIR GOAL
IS TO EDUCATE SCHOOL STAFF ON
MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE
ABUSE AND WAYS FOR STUDENTS.
>> TO GET HELP THEM JUST LAST
WEEK CREATED A NEW POSITION OF
THE CHIEF SCHOOL SAFETY
OFFICER.
>> IN THE TEXAS EDUCATION
AGENCY, GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT
SAYS THAT OFFICER WILL WORK TO
MAKE SURE SCHOOLS MEET THE
REQUIREMENTS DURING THAT SAME
PRESS CONFERENCE IN NORTH
TEXAS. HE ALSO TOUCHED ON THOSE
SCHOOL SAFETY LAWS PASSED IN
2019 SAYING THIS WEEKEND SEE
FROM WHAT HAPPENED IN UVALDE.
>> THAT IN FACT, THOSE LAWS
EITHER DID NOT HAVE TEETH OR
THEY WERE NOT FULLY COMPLIED
WITH.
>> SO THERE IS WORK TO BE DONE
AND HELP IS NEEDED. DOCTOR.
PLUS, CA TOLD US THAT UT HEALTH
NEEDS MORE MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS FOR STUDENTS AND
THEY ARE HIRING. SO IF YOU’RE
INTERESTED, WE HAVE CONTACT
INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE.
SCAN THIS QR CODE WILL TAKE YOU
TO THE KSAT EXPLAINS WEB PAGE.
THAT’S WHERE YOU CAN FIND THAT