Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield provides funding to 75 Arkansas schools for the creation of calming rooms
Special to the MDR
Nov 17, 2023
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 Schools
Howard 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
“Exciting news! Thanks to the generous support from Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, we’re thrilled to announce that our school is one of 75 selected to create a calming room for students,” Bismarck School District officials posted to their social media page.
“This dedicated space will provide a peaceful retreat for those in need of a moment to recharge and find inner balance,” as stated on the social media post. “Stay tuned as we embark on this journey with our incredible students, and keep you updated on our progress!”
