The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts is partnering with the Mosakowski Institute at Clark University and the Southbridge Public Schools to develop and implement a sturdy school-based psychological well being program that leverages state-of-the-art tech-enabled services and products to handle college students’ educational, social-emotional, and school/profession wants.

The Foundation’s Synergy Initiative has awarded the Mosakowski Institute $249,994 for the primary 12 months of planning, with a complete of $2 million awarded to the venture over 5 years.

“We are excited about this project as it provides the unique opportunity to partner with Southbridge Public Schools and the Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts to create a comprehensive school-based mental health program that leverages digital behavioral health technology to improve mental health outcomes among Southbridge students,” mentioned Nadia Ward, director of the Mosakowski Institute.

By partnering with Clark, Southbridge High School will have the ability to use evidence-based companies, instruments, and expertise to satisfy the emotional, educational, and psychological well being wants of scholars. Southbridge CARES will embody three tiers of companies — a social improvement curriculum, cellular utility, and sensory immersion room — developed by the Mosakowski Institute, whose mission is concentrated on the behavioral well being of adolescents and younger adults.

The MAAX (Maximizing Adolescent Academic eXcellence) social improvement curriculum, which was impressed by Ward’s earlier work within the area, was created to assist center and highschool college students find out about themselves, foster good educational relationships, and make clear their school and post-educational objectives. MAAX has elements that promote a optimistic mindset, develop expertise for optimum college efficiency, advance social expertise, strengthen relationships, improve information and consciousness of faculty and profession alternatives, and deepen academic aspirations.

The MI PEACE app was created in 2021 after the pandemic made it tough to attach and have interaction with younger folks. It is designed to assist colleges handle college students’ behavioral well being wants and offers college counselors a platform to create and collaborate on plans to coordinate care, facilitate wraparound companies, and monitor pupil psychological well being progress. The app additionally provides counselors and accredited directors information relating to psychological well being screening outcomes and highlights college students’ strengths and stressors. The app is HIPAA and FERPA compliant and obtainable in English, Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese.

“We’ve created a platform that helps schools and youth-serving entities be more efficient and effective in coordinating behavioral health care for youth in school and community settings,” Ward mentioned.

The third tier of service, a sensory immersion room, gives a soothing house for college kids with behavioral well being considerations, trauma, or disruptive conduct to control their feelings. The room will present digital actuality expertise along side scientific interventions to assist college students have interaction in practices like respiration methods, mindfulness, and meditation.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the incredible team at Clark University to provide Southbridge High School students with access to such innovative programming,” mentioned Southbridge Public Schools Receiver/Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey A. Villar. “I am confident Southbridge CARES will dramatically impact our students and has strong potential to serve as a model approach for providing school-based mental health.”

Established in 2007 with a present from William ’76, L.H.D.’12, and Jane ’75 Mosakowski, the Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise works to handle the causes and coverings of psychological well being in younger folks, a difficulty of nationwide concern.