The cornerstone of Chandler Unified School District’s efforts to help students struggling with mental health issues is abruptly closing less than three years after it started.
The founder of The Hope Institute, Derek Lee, announced in an April 29 letter that it would close the following day.
“It is with a heavy heart that we are delivering this difficult message, but after careful consideration, we are no longer able to sustain The Hope Institute’s programming within the Chandler Unified School District,” Lee wrote.
“Moving forward, we believe that The Hope Institute model may be most effective and sustainable when integrated within a larger organization that offers a broader range of behavioral health services.”
Stephanie Ingersoll, the executive director of marketing and communications for CUSD, said the district received little notice.
“We are equally devastated by the closure of The Hope Institute,” the district said in a statement. “While we cannot speak for The Hope Institute, we are committed to ensuring that anyone who needs these services have continuity of care, and we are working on a transition plan that does require Governing Board approval.
“We express gratitude to The Hope Institute for the countless lives they have saved over the last few years.”
The Hope Institute offered services to students going through a mental health crisis or on the verge of suicide. It was designed for short-term care, seeing students for four to eight weeks. Then, another organization could step in to help the student long term.
Its business model was to see any student within the next business day, to offer them hope so they could get past whatever crisis they might be dealing with.
The Hope Institute opened in August of 2023 in a building on the Perry High School campus. Lindsay Taylor, the director of the Gilbert location, reported to the CUSD Governing Board that they had a 90% program completion rate with few students needing to return.
The district spent $475,000 in initial start-up costs to get The Hope Institute up and running. Part of the group’s plan was to rely on private insurance and AHCCCS to pay for ongoing care.
In its first year, The Hope Institute treated about 350 people, 200 from CUSD. The Hope Institute started in Ohio. The Gilbert location was part of its first efforts to expand outside of that state.
Hope opened a location in the Atlanta area at the same time they opened the Perry High office.
Ingersoll said staff plans to present alternatives for the Governing Board to consider at its May 6 meeting. Until then, she said there are other locations available to help any students in need. They are:
Mind 24-7: 844-646-3247, 1138 S. Higley Road, Mesa. They offer walk-in urgent mental health care for adults and children.
La Frontera EMPACT, 480-784-1500. Maintain a 24/7 connection to crisis counselors and offer mobile crisis units.
National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Dial 988. Offers 24/7 free and confidential support for people in distress.
Teen Lifeline: 602-248-8336. A 24/7 free and confidential hotline for teens.
Lee said in his letter that they are working with current clients to help them during the transition.
“Our priority during this transition is safety and continuity of care,” Lee said. “Our clinical team is working individually with all current clients and their families to ensure a warm handoff to external providers.”
Lee indicated financial pressure led to the decision to close.
“This closure is a reflection of budgetary constraints and is in no way a reflection of the incredible work done by the staff or the importance of the mission,” he said. “Please know this decision was not made lightly.
“It reflects a number of factors, primarily related to financial feasibility, and although this is a difficult moment for our organization, it has also provided important insight.”