When School Ends, Mental Health Support Shouldn’t

NEWS RELEASE

Media Contact:

Sandra Fernandez

sfernandez2@legacycommunityhealth.org

(713) 568-5604

 

Making care accessible, compassionate, and within reach wherever families are.

 

HOUSTON, TX (June 29, 2026) — As summer officially begins, routines often shift. For many children, that change can bring new stressors, emotional challenges, or behavioral changes. This shift to summer impacts children’s mental development as their screen time is increased and behavior changes. When school-based support pauses, continuity of care becomes even more important.

Supporting Real Growing Minds

Children experience stress, anxiety, big emotions, and behavioral challenges just like adults and early support can make a lifelong difference. As more young people turn to AI and digital tools to cope with stress and loneliness, experts emphasize that technology cannot replace human care. By addressing mental and emotional health early, families can help children build confidence, resilience, and healthy coping skills that last well beyond childhood.

“At home, that can look like setting clear screen-time limits, shutting down Wi-Fi at night, or having open conversations about online safety,” said Vivian Echevarria Guzman, Senior Director of School-Based Therapy. “Early boundaries may feel challenging at first, but they can transform a family’s connection and well-being.”

Echevarria Guzman adds that technology itself isn’t the problem, it’s how it’s used. For many of Houston’s young people, AI gives instant answers, instant soothing, and instant validation, but children need interpersonal skills. Families should instead leverage digital tools to strengthen relationships by sharing experiences, creating memories, and staying connected with loved ones. Mindful routines and time outdoors also help children slow down, regulate emotions, build people skills and develop stronger relationships.

“At Legacy, we help families develop these practices, so children feel seen, supported, and anchored in meaningful connections,” she said. Licensed professionals like Echevarria Guzman are uniquely trained to recognize warning signs, challenge harmful thinking patterns, and provide the compassionate connection children need to thrive. Legacy’s behavioral health team offers personalized, evidence-based care designed to meet children and families where they are, whether in person or virtually.

Quality Care, Right at Your Fingertips

Through telehealth, patients can meet with trusted Legacy providers using a smartphone, tablet, or computer, without traveling to a clinic. These virtual visits are available for both new and existing patients across the Greater Houston area and can support a wide range of needs, from sick visits to ongoing care management. It is not a chatbot, and it is not an AI pulling answers from a database. It is a licensed medical professional who can speak to you.

“It worries me as I see more and more children relying on AI chatbots to diagnose and manage their mental health,” Legacy pediatrician Dr. Brittany Hodgson said. “AI chatbots are not trained therapists or psychologists who can accurately diagnose or manage mental health concerns.”

For children and teens, pediatric telehealth offers access to the same expert providers families see in clinics, including pediatricians and licensed therapists. Families can schedule virtual sick visits, behavioral health counseling, and routine care all from the comfort of home.

Key benefits of Legacy behavioral telehealth services include:

• Support for both physical and behavioral health needs
• Services in English and Spanish
• Maintain consistent mental health support
• Avoid gaps in care when school resources are unavailable
• Easily access pediatric and behavioral health services from home or on the go

Legacy ensures that care doesn’t stop when school ends. Pediatric, behavioral health, and school-based services remain available throughout the summer, including telehealth appointments that fit families’ schedules and travel plans.

Care That Continues Year-Round for the Whole Family

Legacy recognizes that mental health is essential at every stage of life, including for parents and caregivers. Legacy’s team of more than 150 psychiatrists and therapists provides care for over thousands of patients each year, helping build healthier, more resilient communities across Texas. Telehealth services are also available for adults, making it easier to access behavioral health support from home.

Whether it’s a new parent feeling overwhelmed, a caregiver concerned about a child, or an individual seeking extra support, Legacy’s integrated care model ensures help is always within reach. With services available all year, including school-based health centers, in-person care, and telehealth, Legacy Community Health remains committed to delivering accessible, high-quality care to every patient, regardless of their circumstances.

Because connected care means never facing life’s challenges alone.

 

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About Legacy Community Health

Legacy Community Health is a full-service health care system comprised of 60+ locations in the Texas Gulf Coast region offering primary and specialty care, as well as pharmacy services. For over 40 years, Legacy has been innovating the ways we provide comprehensive, quality health care services to individuals, families, and communities in need. As the largest Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Texas and a United Way-affiliated agency since 1990, Legacy ensures its services and programs are open to all, regardless of the ability to pay—without judgment or exception. To learn more, visit www.legacycommunityhealth.org.