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School Chill Rooms Ease Student Anxiety
10 Dec
Summary
- Calming rooms provide refuge for students with social anxiety.
- AHN's Chill Project expanded to 50 schools in four counties.
- Program aims to prevent serious student actions, including violence.
The Allegheny Health Network's Chill Project has expanded to 50 K-12 schools across four Pennsylvania counties, offering vital mental health support. These "Chill Rooms" create calming environments, providing students like 11-year-old Savannah Kerns with a refuge from social anxiety and bullying. Staffed by trained behavioral health educators, these spaces integrate therapeutic techniques rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy to help students develop crucial coping skills.
The program addresses a significant deficit in preventive school-based mental health services. Director William Davies highlighted its success in averting serious incidents, including potential school violence. Despite funding uncertainties due to expired federal relief and budget impasses, the Chill Project maintains stability through diversified funding streams, including insurance billing and philanthropic support from AHN.
Founded by Davies, who witnessed the profound need for proactive mental health interventions, the Chill Project bridges the gap between health systems and under-resourced school districts. Its success is evident in improved student well-being and a notable increase in students receiving mental health services, demonstrating its critical role in supporting student emotional health.
