Page 4 - TTWISept2020

Health and Wellness
Page 4 Electronic Edition: www .teachingtodaywi .com

Two Schools in the Chippewa Valley Offer Free Counseling for Students

and their Families

As teachers and students return to class- program, to support the mental health needs of Health Coordinator, and increase the number
rooms this fall, keeping everyone physically their students. of school-based therapists. More recently, a Horse Therapy for Students
healthy is a matter of prime importance for Beginning with the 2018–19 school second grant awarded to Altoona in 2019 pro- This September, Cardinal Care has
schools across Wisconsin. but perhaps just year, Chippewa Falls partnered with a local vided $75,000 in funding for the 2019–2020 also acquired the services of a miniature
as important — maybe more important — is company to offer a Student and Family and 2020–2021 school years. therapy horse. The 10-year-old miniature
making sure everyone is mentally healthy. Assistance Program. Through this program, The Student and Family Assistance horse, named Mocha, will be working
2020 has brought many challenges, students and their families receive four free program connects families with contracted with students at Jim Falls Elementary and
but few as unique to so many young lives as counseling sessions through local counseling local counseling agencies. Families are then Chippewa valley High School, an alter-
months of shutdowns and social distancing agencies. When school buildings were shut connected with an agency of their choosing native school for academically at-risk
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to down last March, students and families in for. These free sessions might be in-person, by students.
the CDC, earlier this past summer, more than Chippewa Falls were able to continue access- phone, or virtual video sessions.
40% of U.S. residents reported struggles with ing these services virtually or even in-person All families in these districts also have
mental or behavior health issues due to the when possible. The school district says that access to a free 24/7 support line so that they
pandemic.* there are an average of 50 students who access can receive support whenever they need it. cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us
With their students’ mental health in these services each month. It’s one more way these schools are
mind, two Chippewa Valley school districts looking out for both the physical and emo- (715) 726-2417
are engaging with a new program to provide Altoona School District tional health of their students.
free counseling services for students and their The nearby Altoona Has your school set up any special pro-
families. School district has also grams to help students cope with the unique
enrolled in this program circumstances of our pandemic? We invite you
Chippewa Falls School District this fall. to share what you’re doing with other schools www.altoona.k12.wi.us
Since 2014, the Chip- Altoona was able to in Wisconsin. Please contact us at renee@ (715) 839-6032
pewa Falls school district greatly expand its mental teachingtodaywi.com.
has offered a program health services in 2018 when it received a
called Cardinal Care, a $3.25 million state mental health grant. With * www.cdc.gov/nchs/covid19/pulse/mental-
school-based mental health that grant, Altoona was able to hire a Mental health.htm

Addressing Mental Health Needs of Free Apps For Helping Kids

Deal With Anxiety
Racine Children Continued from Page 1
public insurance. We also researched the con- Racine Community Foundation.
sequences of unaddressed mental health issues We also opened a community mental Positive Penguins (Apple/Android) Emotionary (Apple)
which included poor academic achievement, health clinic with our community mental The four positive penguins take you emotionary guides users through five
increased school absences and increased like- health provider that addresses the needs of all on an interactive journey to help you under- primary emotions to find the right category
lihood of being suspended. children in our community grades kindergar- stand that feelings arise from your thinking of feeling, with all definitions pared back to
C2MH and RUSD worked together to ten through high school. and if you challenge your negative thoughts the essentials and displayed so they can be
research and develop a business plan for the As of last school year, our mental health successfully you may be able to see things easily compared. Users may create a drawn
first school-based mental health clinic embed- clinics have served more than 430 students and in a more realistic and even optimistic way. “selfie” to match these emotions.
ded into our RUSD elementary schools in our student data demonstrates improvement in Website: positivepenguins.com Website: www.sarahhatherley.com/publish-
2015. The objectives of this project were to: attendance, office disciplinary referrals, sus- ing.php
• improve functioning/reduction of symp- pensions and academic performance. Stop, Breathe & Think Kids
toms of children with a mental health in RUSD, we have continued to provide (Apple/Web App) The Worry Box (Android)
disorder, which reduces barriers to learn- mental health services to our students through- The Worry box operates as journal
Meditation and mindfulness made easy
ing out the CoviD-19 pandemic – a significant and fun for kids, to help them discover and in which kids can record their anxious
• improve accessibility to mental health benefit for students most in need during these develop their superpowers of sleep, being thoughts. The app then helps kids find ways
services challenging times. And that never would have calm, learning to breathe or to resolve con- to manage that worry, or think about the
• improve school climate towards students been possible had such a strong collaborative flicts. situation differently.
not begun six years ago.
with mental health issues For further information contact: Website: www.stopbreathethink.com/kids Website: www.excelatlife.com/apps.htm
• Create a professional development  Andrea Rittgers, Director of Student
program for teachers and school staff Services at andrea.rittgers@rusd.org Smiling Mind (Apple/Android) DreamyKid (Apple/Web App)
that reduces stigma and increases knowl-  Julie Hueller, Manager Racine Collabora-
edge base and classroom tools to support tive for Children’s Mental Health at julie. Smiling Mind is a unique web and Whether it’s for starting the day with
those students with mental health con- hueller@rusd.org app-based program developed by psycholo- positivity to going to sleep listening to posi-
cerns gists and educators to help bring balance to tive affirmations, DreamyKid offers many
categories and mindfulness programs to
Currently today, we have developed col- people’s lives. Includes a section on Mind- teach your kids how to regulate their own
fulness in the Classroom and is suited for
laborative partnerships with two community kids ages 7–18. feelings and grow happy and strong. All it
mental health providers. We have imple- www.rusd.org takes is a few minutes every day or week!
mented six school-based mental health clinics (262) 635-5600 Website: www.smilingmind.com.au Website: dreamykid.com
with a full-time therapist in each school loca-
tion. This service is funded by RUSD and the