Humble ISD invites families to an upcoming Mental Health and Wellness Fair, which will take place in the Atascocita High School (AHS) cafeteria, main street and library Feb. 24.
According to Francesca Newman, Humble ISD student wellness counselor, area mental health and wellness providers will be at the fair to answer all questions.
“Our goal is to connect people with resources in the community,” Newman said. “This includes mental health providers, primary care providers, specialists, hospitals and other overall wellness providers.”
In addition, licensed professional counselors and specialists will be on hand, along with representatives from YogaSix, Legacy Fitness, Kingwood Emergency Hospital, Attention Deficit Disorder Association, Montgomery County Women’s Center, YMCA and Family Time, among others.
Guest speakers have been invited to share helpful advice and offer resources to attendees. Families may also enter a raffle for giveaways.
“The event will provide the opportunity for children, parents and other participants to meet counselors, specialists and providers prior to scheduling an appointment,” said Newman.
Families or individuals will also have the opportunity to get questions answered regarding healthy eating, nutrition options to benefit the mind and body, and ideas to help slow down and take a break.
According to Newman, this is the first year for Humble ISD to have student wellness counselors.
“There are three student wellness counselors including myself, Tammie Johnson and Tiffany Simon,” Newman said. “We work to support our elementary, middle and high school students through campus referrals.”
Newman said the three student wellness counselors are hosting and organizing the event as part of the Humble ISD Counseling and Behavioral Services Department.
“The event is overseen by our Director of Personalized Counseling, Tye Hobbs, and Senior Director of Personalized Student Success, Dr. Melissa Leigh. We also have a few community members, parent organizations and student volunteers that are giving their time to make this event possible,” said Newman. “Through business partnerships with Humble ISD Community Development, we have been able to secure sponsorships and door prizes to make this event free for the public,” she said.
Newman said the program is continually growing in order to meet the needs of Humble ISD students and their families, and that the current average of students being helped is about 60-70 students per month.
“We want to be able to provide our families with resources that are available in our community,” said Newman. “Beginning counseling, visiting a new gym, finding health care, seeking assistance or going to the emergency room can seem like a daunting task, especially when under stress.”
“We want our community to be able to meet providers in person before they schedule an appointment and be able to find the right fit for their family. Relationships and connections are important to health and wellness. At the Wellness Fair, people of all ages can learn about the different options available for their health and mental well-being. For example, Kingwood Emergency Room offers cash services for those without insurance; Humble Area Assistance Ministries (HAAM) offers job training; Catholic Charities offer free mental health and coaching services for veterans and their families and Texas Familias Council offers community resources for Spanish speaking families.”
The following biographies offer insight into the professionalism of the three Humble ISD student wellness counselors:
Francesca Newman, M.A., LPC, NCC. has served Humble ISD for more than 12 years as a classroom teacher, school counselor, and most recently as one of the elementary behavior specialists. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s degree in community mental health, is a licensed professional counselor, a national certified counselor and is an American Red Cross disaster mental health provider. In addition to her work in public education, she has extensive experience in providing private counseling and therapy where she specializes in utilizing adventure therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, trauma informed yoga and play therapy to children of all ages. She has extensive experience in working with anxiety, depression and neurodiverse students. She is highly connected with community outreach programs that promote mental health awareness and work to end mental health stigmas.
Tammie Johnson, M.Ed., LPC, celebrates more than 25 years of experience in public education as a classroom teacher, in special education, counseling and most recently as an at-risk counselor in Humble ISD. She is a graduate of Southern University and holds a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. She is a licensed professional counselor, a member of the American Counseling Association, the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association, the Spring Creek Counseling Association and the Chi Sigma Iota Academic and Professional Counseling Honor Society. Additionally, she is certified in restorative practices. In her work in private counseling and therapy Johnson specializes in providing a person-centered approach, along with cognitive behavior therapy, to individuals who have experienced trauma and emotional distress. She partners with local organizations who specialize in supporting individuals and families in crisis to provide resources, as well as mental health services. Tiffany Simon, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, holds a master’s and a doctoral degree in counseling, is a licensed professional counselor and a national certified counselor. She has more than 20 years of experience in public education as a teacher, a counselor, a department chair, and most recently as an at-risk counselor in Humble ISD. She utilizes cognitive behavioral and solution focused therapeutic interventions to help collaboratively develop personal goals. Dr. Simon has been published in multiple texts on topics relating to school counseling and at-risk behaviors and has presented nationally and internationally. She serves as the president-elect of the Spring Creek Counseling Association and co-chair of the Texas Counseling Association’s (TCA) Public Policy Committee. She has also served as a member of the TCA taskforce for the revision of the “Texas Evaluation Model for School Counselors.” Dr. Simon actively partners with multiple local community agencies that promote a mental wellness campaign to increase student success.
The Humble ISD Mental Health and Wellness Fair is set for 8 p.m. Feb. 24 at Atascocita High School.
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