Counseling Services
Counseling Services offers expert assistance, updates, including legislative and legal mandates, and support for initiatives in public education that enhance student development and academic achievement.
Services include:
- Guidance and support for ethical and legal accountability
- ApplyTexas reauthorization
- Crisis Response Support and Intervention
- Technical assistance for topics relative to the needs of school counselors
- New Counselor Academy
- Specialized contract counseling services are available for additional mental health support
- Updates regarding legislative mandates; including HB 19 LMHA (Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Trauma & Grief and Grief & Trauma in IDD Population
2025 Counselor Appreciation Luncheon
I Had No Idea #CyberEmpowerment
The I Had No Idea website serves as an engaging and educational platform designed to reveal surprising facts, lesser-known ideas, and unexpected insights across a wide range of topics regarding the safe and responsible use of technology. It aims to spark curiosity, challenge common perceptions, and encourage exploration and empowerment through easily digestible content about online safety. Ideal for anyone seeking to expand their knowledge in a fun and accessible way, the site is a hub for discovery and learning ways to access the digital world in a healthy and productive manner.
Contact Us
Jeni Janek
Education Specialist/Coordinator
(254) 224-7145
Jennifer Serrato
Education Specialist
(254) 451-7968
Upcoming Trainings
-
AC Hotel - 600 Mary Ave, Waco, 76701
- Suicide Prevention Symposium
- Services
- Mental & Behavioral Health
- Secondary Counselor Resources
- Law & Policy
- Graduation Programs
Suicide Prevention Symposium
June 10, 2025 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm |AC Hotel Downtown Waco
The Suicide Prevention Symposium brings together educators and community members in a forum to take action and help save the lives of challenged youth through awareness, intervention, and prevention.
As technology continues to evolve, AI-generated content is becoming more prevalent in the lives of our youth. While these advancements can offer companionship and entertainment, they also pose significant mental health risks, including increased isolation, detachment from real-world relationships, and unhealthy emotional dependence on artificial interactions.
Workshops will explore the growing impact of AI and technology and teen mental health, highlighting potential dangers and discussing strategies for fostering healthy digital habits. Expert speakers, including mental health professionals, educators, and individuals with personal experiences, will provide valuable insights and resources on how to navigate these emerging challenges.
Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the psychological effects of AI-generated interactions, the risks of technology overuse, and best practices for guiding students toward safer, more balanced digital engagement. Whether you're an educator, parent, or community leader, this session will equip you with tools to support teens in making informed and healthy choices in an increasingly digital world.
Presentations will include:
"The Human Cost of AI: A Mother's Plea"
Our Keynote Speaker this year will bring awareness to the community and schools about the dangers of intimate AI relationships, the need to quickly assimilate to this crisis, and how to provide support to our youth who are addicted and grieving after being separated from these very real perceived friendships and relationships. She will share her personal story and experiences and how she is continuing to fight to put laws in place to better protect our children.
I Had No Idea #CyberEmpowerment
As technology continues to evolve, it's crucial for adults to stay informed about online safety to protect their children. By actively learning about digital risks and best practices for internet use, adults can create a safer online environment for kids. When we help them navigate the digital world safely and responsibly, we are contributing to their "Cyber Empowerment" to establish a healthy digital history and know how to spot danger and how to get help when they do. I Had No Idea raises awareness about cybersecurity and cyber empowerment for parents, educators and kids.
HOT Suicide Prevention Coalition
The coalition will share who they are, what their purpose is, and the ways they provide resources and support to students and families who have lost someone to suicide.
Educator Panel: The Role of Schools in Teen Suicide Prevention
A panel of educators, counselors, and school administrators will share insights, strategies, and best practices for identifying at-risk students, fostering mental wellness, and implementing effective prevention programs. Our goal is to help shape a safer future for our youth.
So Now What?
We will share resources that can be used in and out of the school setting to help facilitate the ongoing conversation in order to prevent, intervene, and provide support for the mental health crisis that we are tasked with.
Services
General Services
- Scholarship Hub
- Transcript Audits
- Counselor Membership
- Counselor Consult
- TSCA SCHOLAR
- Counselor Tech Tools
- Student Development Presentations
Scholarship Hub
Transcript Audits
Counselor Membership
The Counselor Membership offers the latest professional development, expert assistance, information updates, legislative mandates, and networking with professional counselors in an effort to enhance school campus achievement and performance.
Benefits include:
- Guidance and support for ethical and legal accountability
- Updates regarding legal mandates\
- Crisis Response Team (CRT) and Crisis Prevention and Intervention (CPI)
- Licensed Professional Counseling (LPC) and Continuing Professional Development (CPE) Credits
- Counselor trainings and workshops provided at no additional cost
- Discount for student presentations/assemblies
- Additional resources and tools to support statewide initiatives relevant to school counseling as needed
Counselor Consult
TSCA SCHOLAR
Explore the TSCA SCHOLAR website to access valuable resources and information for Texas school counselors, supporting your professional growth and enhancing your ability to make a positive impact on students' lives.
Counselor Tech Tools
Student Development Presentations
These presentations are affordable, grade-level appropriate presentations that are motivating, engaging and inspiring, led by experienced speakers trained in youth counseling.
Presentation topics include:
- Bullying and Cyberbullying Prevention
- Making Healthy Choices
- Suicide Prevention - AS+K?
- Positive Peer Interaction
- Trauma Sensitive Schools
- Youth Mental Health First Aid
- Living, Surviving, and Thriving in a Screen World
- Search Institute 40 Developmental Assets, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES)
- Crisis Prevention
- Conflict Resolution
- Exploring Childhood 2.0
- Establishing Healthy Relationships
- Social and Emotional Learning
- Psychological First Aid
- Digital Responsibility and Social Media Safety
- NEW! S.A.F.E.R.
Related Professional Development & Services:
- Ethics Conversations
- Crisis Training & Student Safety
- True Colors Personality Training
- Behavior Threat Assessment Trainer
- Technical assistance for safety
- Youth Mental Health First Aid with Certified YMHFA Instructor
- Counselor Appreciation Luncheon
- Teen Suicide Prevention Symposium
- Human Trafficking Prevention
- Crisis Recovery Support
- Liaison for Texas School Safety Center
Student Safety
Child Abuse
Child Abuse Reporting
Student Training
Dating Violence
Human Trafficking
Human trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transporting, or procurement of a person for labor or services for the purpose of involuntary servitude, slavery, or forced commercial sex acts.
Resources:
- human trafficking of school aged children resources
- unbound waco
- find your local child advocacy center (CAC) for victim support, training, & Resources
- find your local commercially sexually exploited youth advocacy programs for victim support, training, & resources
- tea highly mobile & at risk, and mental health supports under division webinars
Mental & Behavioral Health
Counseling Services offers expert assistance, information updates, including legislative and legal mandates, and support for initiatives in public education that enhance student development and academic achievement.
- Bullying Prevention
- Online Safety
- S.A.F.E.R. Student Presentations
- Early Mental Health Intervention
- Suicide Prevention
- Trauma Informed Care
- Parent Conference Resources
Bullying Prevention
Online Safety
Teaching our students to be responsible and safe online is crucial. This can include what red flags to look for in suspicious emails or websites, protecting their privacy by limiting the information they post and what to do if they're being cyberbullied.
ESC Region 12 provides student, staff and educator presentations for online safety. Please contact your counseling services team for more information.
Resources:
S.A.F.E.R. Student Presentations
TEC.28.004 states that schools must provide instruction on child abuse, family violence, dating violence, and human trafficking prevention.
Please see ESC Region 12 Counseling Services team members for more information.
Early Mental Health Intervention
Suicide Prevention
According to the National Association for Mental Illness, one in five teens live with a mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety. Learn the signs of when it might become life-threatening.
Resources:
- Texas Suicide Prevention
- Texas Suicide Safer Schools Implementation Guide
- Texas Youth Suicide Prevention Project (Kognito)
- Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
- Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) Gatekeeper Training
- SafeTALK
- SOS Signs of Suicide
- ESC 14 & Title IV, Part A State Initiative Suicide Prevention
- Suicide Prevention Resource Center
- SAMHSA Preventing Suicide Toolkit for High Schools
- After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools
- Cornell Self Injury and Recovery Research and Resources (SIRR)
- Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
- Suicide Response Protocols Slides
- TEA Mental Health
- TEA Suicide Prevention
- TEA Coordinated School Health
- Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools
- Youth Suicide Warning Signs
- Texas School Safety Center Legislative Guidance
Trauma Informed Care
Trauma-Informed Care recognizes trauma symptoms in an individual and acknowledges the role it may play in their life while providing services. This is required by statute.
Resources:
- Trauma Informed Training
- TEA Project Restore Trauma Informed Training Series
- TEA Mental Health
- TEA Grief and Trauma Informed Practices
- TEA Senate Bill 11 (SB 11) and Other School Safety Updates July 2020
- TEA Senate Bill 11 (SB 11) and Other School Safety Legislation Feb. 2020
- Texas School Safety Center Legislative Guidance
Parent Conference Resources
This Parent Conference Template was developed to guide the conversation about mental health between educators or administrators and parents.
- Mental Health Promotion & Positive Youth Development
- Comprehensive & General Mental Health Resources
- Student Development Presentations
- Substance Abuse Prevention/Intervention
- Find Your Local Mental Health Authority
Mental Health Promotion & Positive Youth Development
Comprehensive & General Mental Health Resources
Student Development Presentations
Student Development Presentations provide affordable and locally accessed student presentations that are motivating, engaging, and inspiring led by experienced speakers trained in youth counseling.
Presentations provide:
- Research-based presentations such as bullying prevention, making healthy choices, positive peer interaction, crisis prevention, conflict-resolution, and digital citizenship
- Use of inspirational and interactive activities to create a motivational atmosphere that leaves a positive impact on student audiences
- Age and grade-level appropriate terms and up-to-date references to help students connect with message
- Socially appropriate instruction
Substance Abuse Prevention/Intervention
The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics reports drug use among youth has increased 61% in recent years. These resources can be used to address substance abuse prevention and intervention.
Find Your Local Mental Health Authority
Secondary Counselor Resources
This section provides resources for post secondary readiness.
- College Prep Courses & TSI - Under Section 28.014 of the Texas Education Code, each school district is required to partner with at least one institution of higher education (IHE) to develop and provide college preparatory courses in English language arts and mathematics. However, each high school within the school district is not required to offer these courses.
- Credit by Exam - The rules and guidelines for how students receive high school credit via examination have been updated. (May 30, 2014)
- FAFSA/TASFA - Apply for financial aid
- Texas OnCourse - Check out these free monthly webinar series in a variety of topics to help support your students in middle and high school.
- House Bill 5
- TEA Graduation Toolkit
- Financial Aid Requirement for Graduation
- TEA Adaptations for Special Populations Concerning Special Education Services
- Student Attendance Accounting Handbook
- CO22 Table
- Texas Virtual School Network
- Military Family Resources
- Texas School Mental Health Resources
Law & Policy
Trauma-Informed Care
Suicide Training
Suicide training is required by statute. These are the rules that address that.
- Training requirements for teachers, principals, and counselors TEC 21.054(d), TEC 21.451(d-2)-(d-3), and TEC 37.108(f)
- DMA Legal
- EHAA Legal
- Documenting Suicide Training TEC 21.451(d-2)-(d-3), TAC 153.1013, and DMA Legal
- Training for counselors, teachers, nurses, administration, etc HSC 161.325 and DMA Legal
- Suicide, the Safe and Supportive Schools, and Threat Assessment Team requirements per TEC 37.115(h)-(j) and FFB Legal
- Suicide and the Emergency Operation Plan per TEC 37.108(f) and CKC Legal
- Suicide and the Student Curriculum per TEC 28.002(a)(2), (e), 19 TAC 74.1(a)(2), and EHAA Legal
- Suicide and the District Improvement Plan per HSC 161.325(O-1), TEC 11.252(a), and BQ Legal
- Counselor’s Responsibility in Suicide per TEC 33.006 and FFEA Legal
- Suicide and Student Consent per TEC 32.004 and FFEA Legal
- SHAC Responsibility per TEC 28.004(c),(n),(o) and EHAA Legal
- Encouraging suicide per TEC 37.0052, FOC Legal, and FOD Legal
Graduation Programs
House Bill 5
In 2013, the 83rd Texas Legislature established the new Foundation High School Program as the default graduation program for all students entering high school beginning in 2014-2015. The State Board of Education adopted rules related to the new Foundation High School Program in January 2014.
Texas First Diploma
Senate Bill 1888, 87th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, added Texas Education Code §28.0253, which establishes the Texas First Early High School Completion Program to allow public high school students who demonstrate early readiness for college to graduate early from high school.
House Bill 8, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, establishes that a school district is required, rather than permitted, to issue a high school diploma under the Texas First Early High School Completion Program if the students demonstrated mastery of and early readiness for college in accordance with Texas Higher Education Coordinating (THECB) board rules.