CUSD school board approves lease for new behavioral health non-profit

CHANDLER, AZ — The Chandler Unified School District school board approved a new lease agreement on Wednesday, keeping mental health services around for students who need them after the sudden closure of The Hope Institute.

The Hope Institute announced it could no longer sustain its programming at the site near Perry High School, closing its doors on April 30.

Now, Cranes for Change — a local behavioral health nonprofit — will take over the former Hope Institute site, calling it the Next Steps Center. The center will offer rapid access assessments, outpatient therapy services, suicide prevention, parent support groups, clinical groups for teachers and staff, and the Cranes Closet.

The board has approved the lease, but the State Department of Health Services still needs to issue a license before the center can open. In the meantime, CUSD says therapists with immediate openings are available at [email protected].

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