27-05-2025
Mental health center coming soon to Austin ISD campus
AUSTIN (KXAN) — As Mental Health Awareness month closes, a groundbreaking at Martin Middle School this week aims to further Austin ISD's goal of expanding mental health support for its students.
The final phase of modernizations to the school begins Tuesday morning in East Austin. Once complete, the school will have new HVAC, electric and plumbing systems, along with a planned mental health center.
Dr. LaShanda Lewis, executive director of AISD's Crisis and Mental Counseling, said there are a handful of mental health centers across the district.
Once the center is complete, it will look similar to a classroom but more cozy and comfortable to put students at ease, Lewis said. She said there will be space for group counseling to take place, as well as a more private area for students to meet one-on-one with licensed mental health providers.
Lewis said post-COVID is when the need for mental health support became apparent to the district, as students navigated the transition from at-home to classroom learning.
'If our students are not emotionally and mentally well, they're not going to go into those classrooms and function at the highest caliber that they need to be academically successful and transition into the next phase in their lives,' Lewis said.
Modernization efforts at Martin MS are expected to finish by fall 2027.
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