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Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield provides funding to 75 Arkansas schools for the creation of calming rooms
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield announced today that 75 schools in Arkansas have been selected to receive $2,500 each to create calming rooms to address the mental well-being of Arkansas students.
The company announced its Take Good Care Calming Room initiative in July and began accepting applications from schools August 1. According to state data, more than 14%, or 83,135 Arkansas children and teens, are dealing with anxiety and depression. Calming rooms give students a quiet place to reflect and refocus so they can perform their best when they return to the classroom.
“The same way students have difficulty focusing in class when they are hungry or tired, they can’t be their best selves in the classroom or at home if they are dealing with issues like stress and anxiety,” said Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield President and CEO Curtis Barnett. “In recognition of Arkansas Blue Cross’ 75th Anniversary and our company's commitment to improving access to behavioral health resources, we are investing in the creation of calming rooms in 75 Arkansas schools as one way to support better mental health for students.”
Calming rooms provide a space to help students regulate their emotions and often feature items such as:
- Soft lighting
- Tranquil colors
- Comfortable furniture
- Positive, inspirational messages
- Journals, coloring books and other sensory objects
“In addition to improved behavioral health, schools with calming rooms have reported additional benefits such as fewer disciplinary issues and better grades,” Barnett added, referring to a study by the Boston Charter Research Collaborative. “Young people these days face challenges many of us didn’t have growing up, like cyberbullying. Learning how to cope with difficult things in a healthy way is a tool they can carry with them through adulthood.”
Each school will oversee the rules and usage of their calming rooms based on the needs of their students. The spaces can also be used for counseling sessions and group discussions.
“Arkansas Blue Cross did not receive applications from schools in all 75 counties as initially hoped,” Barnett said, “but we still wanted to fund 75 rooms, so we looked closely at the applications and were able to select additional schools in a few counties.”
Schools selected to receive calming rooms include:
Arkansas County
DeWitt High School
Ashley County
Hamburg Middle School
Baxter County
Guy Berry College and Career Academy
Benton County
Founders Classical Academy, Bentonville
Boone County
Harrison High School
Bradley County
Warren High School
Calhoun County
Hampton Middle School
Carroll County
Eureka Springs High School
Clark County
Gurdon High School
Clay County
Piggott High School
Cleburne County
Heber Springs Middle School
Cleveland County
Woodlawn Elementary School
Colombia County
Apostolic Christian Academy
Conway County
Morrilton High School
Craighead County
Bay Elementary School
Crawford County
Butterfield Trail Middle School
Crittenden County
Earle High School
Cross County
Wynne High School
Dallas County
Fordyce High School
Drew County
Monticello High School
Faulkner County
Mayflower Middle School
Franklin County
Ozark Middle School
Fulton County
Salem School District
Garland County
Mountain Pine Elementary School
Grant County
Sheridan High School
Greene County
Paragould Junior/Senior High School
Hempstead County
Hope High School
Hot Spring County
Bismarck Public SchoolsHoward County
Nashville Junior High School
Independence County
Cedar Ridge High School
Izard County
Calico Rock High School
Jackson County
Tuckerman High School
Jefferson County
Pine Bluff Junior High School
Johnson County
Lamar High School
Oark High School
Lafayette County
Lafayette County High School
Lawrence County
Hillcrest Elementary School
Lincoln County
Star City High School
Little River County
Ashdown High School
Logan County
Paris Middle School
Lonoke County
Cabot Middle School South
Madison County
Huntsville Middle School
Marion County
Ozark Mountain School District
Mississippi County
Blytheville Chickasaw Preparatory Academy
Armorel High School
Monroe County
Brinkley High School
Montgomery County
Mount Ida High School
Nevada County
Nevada Elementary School
Newton County
Deer K-12 School
Mt. Judea K-12 School
Ouachita County
Camden Fairview Middle School
Perry County
Anne Watson Elementary School
Phillips County
J.F. Wahl Elementary School
Barton High School
Pike County
Murfreesboro High School
Poinsette County
Trumann Middle School
Polk County
Mena High School
Pope County
Secondary Learning Center, Russellville High School
Prairie County
Hazen Public Schools
Pulaski County
LR West High School of Innovation
Randolph County
M.D. Williams Intermediate School
Saline County
Benton Junior High School
Scott County
Waldron High School
Searcy County
Leslie Intermediate School
Sebastian County
Trinity Catholic School
Sevier County
Horatio Public School
Sharp County
Cave City Middle School
Saint Francis County
Palestine-Wheatley Senior High School
Stone County
Mountain View School District
Union County
Junction City Elementary School
Van Buren County
South Side Bee Branch
Washington County
Ramay Junior High School
White County
Pangburn High School
Woodruff County
Augusta Elementary School
Yell County
Dardanelle Middle School