Dallas ISD’s Mental Health Services Department supports children and their families through life and learning challenges. After Executive Director Tracey Brown learned of the shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde where 19 children and two adults were killed, she said it was “all things crisis response support” for her and the clinicians she oversees.

The COVID-19 pandemic worsened stress, anxiety and depression for young people—especially young girls. Those are things the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas have addressed through their mental health patch, called Okay to Say. It’s one part of a wider prevention effort to mitigate worse health outcomes for young people as they grow up.

The past few years of the pandemic have shifted Texas neighborhoods, as both people and places have been lost to the COVID-19 virus. Close to 1 million people have died from the virus in the U.S. since March 2020.

It's been two years since the first reported case of COVID-19 in North Texas. Best friends Tamra Nicole and Lauren Bridges have weathered job uncertainty together as their industries changed during the pandemic.

Since the 2021 school year, nearly 550,000 students have contracted COVID-19 across Texas. From district-wide conflicts about mask mandates to virtual schooling, students have experienced widespread change and lost out on many routines and traditions.

The first recorded case of COVID-19 in North Texas was March 9, 2020. Since then, more than 5.4 million Texans have had the virus, and close to 85,000 Texans have died. Everything from people's jobs to their communities have changed since the pandemic started.

For many Texans, the memories of last year's devastating February storm are still vivid. A North Texas therapist provides tips on how to emotionally manage the next few snowy days.

The unrelenting COVID-19 pandemic has put mental health needs in focus as people navigate an ever-shifting world. The surge of the omicron variant throws this into even sharper focus.

The pandemic has affected the way people grieve. Everything from planning memorial services to the ease of connecting with family and friends has been altered by COVID-19.

Almost 800,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the United States. But, psychologists say the loss goes beyond the official death count. The devastating effects of loneliness and isolation may stay with us long after the pandemic is over.

The COVID-19 pandemic has lasted for more than a year and half now. And for many people, the store of good will, patience and sensitivity has been depleted.

A recent report from Children’s Health in Dallas identified the need for more mental health care in North Texas. Both the hospital system and community partners are tackling this issue through training, education and expanded telehealth options.