Left unaddressed, traumatic experiences can derail a child’s chances for success in school, and ultimately, their adult lives.

“They just can’t do it … their minds just can’t take it in,” said Dawn Lawless, co-founder and CEO of Counseling Connections for Change, a Pearland-based nonprofit serving the county. “If they can’t take things in, they can’t get into college, they can’t get jobs. It affects their relationships, everything.”

Trauma such as family conflict, divorce or homelessness already poses challenges, but events like Hurricane Harvey amplified the need, she said.

After Harvey, the nonprofit worked with Pearland ISD to put together a pilot program, funded in part through the United Way of Brazoria County, to offer trauma response sessions to 57 students a week in April. The sessions focused on creating awareness of the feelings that might result from trauma.

“Think about a engine idling; some are going-going-going, but others are puttering—that’s what the mind might feel like,” she said. “We want the kids in the right zone so they can pay attention and learn in a calm state.”

Chenda Moore, coordinator of guidance services at PISD, said the program added an extra layer of support at a critical time.

“It was very well-received, and it definitely helped these kids,” she said.

The pilot is now a grant-funded program that will run this fall and spring, Lawless said. City of Pearland officials helped secure $22,000 in federal grants, and donations from United Way and the Silverlake Lions Club are stretching those dollars, Lawless said.

The new program, which brings on the NAMI Gulf Coast as a partner, will include individual and group sessions along with an “Ending the Silence” initiative to encourage children to talk about their experiences. The program officially launched the first week of October at nine schools in the district. Lawless said that with the partnership, they have the potential to help hundreds of students.

“This is just an awesome collaboration and coordination with the district,” she said.

This effort comes as PISD has added new counselors, all of whom are now being trained in trauma-informed care through the Trauma and Loss Center, Moore said. That does not mean that these partnerships are not needed.

“We want to support as many kids and families as possible, and we’re always open to doing more and having conversations on how best to support our students,” she said.