Dallas ISD addresses health disparities with a youth and family center

Dallas, Texas - To address the notable disparities in access to both mental and physical healthcare, the educational administration has planned the upcoming opening of the T.D. Marshall Youth and Family Center at Clara Oliver.

Located within the South Oak Cliff High School network, this state-of-the-art facility is expected to be accessible to the public next month, with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for September 26.

Tracey Brown, Executive Director of the district’s Mental Health Services Department, highlighted the essential nature of this center, especially in the southern regions of the city where there has been a marked absence of such vital services.

“The T.D. Marshall Youth and Family Center will fill in a significant gap in the southern sector of town where mental and physical healthcare services are minimal, and we are looking forward to serving our students and families in this area,” said Tracey Brown.

Brown discussed the importance of a consolidated approach to health services, noting that the center could be a crucial instrument for change.

“The district’s new youth and family center will remove barriers, creating more opportunities,” Brown stated. “There’s a myriad of challenges our students face, and our dedicated therapists and medical partners are here to assist.”

Intended primarily for individuals aged 4 to 21, the center will provide a broad range of services. For physical healthcare, the facility has partnered with Los Barrios Unidos Community Clinic. Among the offered services, immunizations and sports physicals are anticipated to be in high demand.

On the mental health front, the center will provide services such as individual and group counseling, psychiatric evaluations, medication management, and family counseling. Furthermore, tailored educational workshops for parents will be available, acting as a key resource for the community.

“If you have a therapist to guide and support you, it can significantly impact a student and their family,” Brown commented.

Expanding on the district’s mental healthcare provisions, Tracey Brown revealed that specialized mental health clinicians are located at multiple campuses. These experts offer both short-term therapeutic counseling and specific behavioral interventions to address students' immediate needs.

The establishment of the T.D. Marshall Youth and Family Center was based on a comprehensive community health-needs assessment conducted in 2019. This analysis identified a pressing need for enhanced healthcare services, especially in the zip code 75216. Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds were allocated to renovate the existing structure into a modern clinic.

As the opening of the T.D. Marshall YFC approaches, the Mental Health Services Department is actively collaborating with schools in the South Oak Cliff network. This joint effort seeks to share details about the center’s services with educators, parents, and the community, thus creating an informed network of stakeholders.

For more information on the T.D. Marshall YFC and other clinics in the district, one can visit the district’s dedicated mental health portal through a provided link. Questions can also be addressed to the Mental Health Services Department at 972-502-4190.

Credit: Dallas Metro News