As our nation mourns in the aftermath of yet another senseless tragedy, we stand in solidarity with the schoolchildren of Ulvade, Texas, in saying, ‘No more.’ As community leaders, we stand united in our determination to protect our children, our educators, our staff and volunteers, and all those who call Guilford County home.
Working together, we can protect the sanctity of the schoolhouse. Working together, we can stop the violence that has claimed far too many lives and hurt countless others. Working together, we can – and we must – keep our children safe.
That work is already underway in Guilford County. County, city, school, and law enforcement officials, leaders, and staff work closely together on safety planning, training, technology, and facility design and needs.
We share information and coordinate services while protecting student and family privacy. We work together to provide quality mental health services and support. We have active tip lines supported by well-trained and responsive partners who immediately follow up on every contact. We have a growing network of behavioral health partnerships and domestic violence prevention coordination and resources.
Our school district social workers, counselors, and principals work closely with students and families. School intervention teams meet regularly to share information, identify concerns and make referrals to behavioral health specialists and other community resources.
We can – and we must – do more, however. Our county is not immune from gun violence. Each year we lose far too many young people to gun violence, and those numbers have been rising during the pandemic.
While there are no perfect solutions, we can take important steps that designing and renovating schools with safety in mind, providing more mental health supports and intervention to children, parents, and families who want and need more care, and creating more opportunities for all our citizens.
It truly takes a community to intercept those who present a danger, those who need early intervention for mental health crises, and those who need domestic violence prevention support. Here are some phone numbers that every Guilford County citizen should know:
- Greensboro-Guilford County Crime Stoppers Tip Line: 336-373-1000
- High Point Crimestoppers Tip Line: 336-889-4000
- 24 -Hour Behavioral Health Call Center: 1-800-256-2452
- Behavioral Health Crisis Line: 1-833-600-2054
- Guilford County Mobile Crisis Team: 1-877-626-1772
The work begins anew today. Join us. Take action. If you see something, say something. Seek more and better intervention services and supports for struggling children and families. Volunteer in your community or at your local school. Actively engage in our great democracy.
With your help and partnership, we can keep our kids and our schools safe.
Original source can be found here.
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