Bettendorf High School is soft-launching a Brain Health Retreat Room and next month, Edison Academy will follow suit. Both room designs and operations are from Brain Health Now.
Brain Health Now is a grassroots organization dedicated to ending the stigma of mental illness.
Sarah Harris is the Bettendorf Community High School's multi-tier system support social-emotional behavioral health coordinator (MTSS SEBH).
Harris says the school is always looking for new ways to help students with mental health.
"The Brain Health Retreat room was paid for and funded by Brain Health Now," Harris said in a phone interview with WVIK. "So there weren't Bettendorf dollars that provided that; it was provided through an award."
Brain Health Now is awarding the school funding for the room. WVIK contacted the organization for the total costs and will update the article when we hear back.
The room contains various seating for students and staff needing a break, as well as a fridge with protein snacks and water. It is right next to the school's student services department, where counselors work.
"I'm really hopeful that this gives an opportunity for kids...for students and staff that may not seek help in other places," Harris said. "Maybe it's just hope that somebody gets a brain break and come back and return to learn and have academic success and all those wonderful things."
According to Harris, the room is having a soft launch because Brain Health Now requires a master's education-level social worker or counselor to support the space to receive funding for the room furnishings.
Harris says she will join two other staff members in training the full staff and giving them a heads-up on the space's purpose before a full launch later in the academic year.
"Hopefully this sparks, you know, awareness and interest, that we're really searching to find ways that are funded through community partnerships for our public schools," Harris said.
Bettendorf High School, in search of mental health initiatives, also started a therapeutic classroom a couple of years ago with the Iowa Department of Education.
This story was produced by WVIK, Quad Cities NPR. We rely on financial support from our listeners and readers to provide coverage of the issues that matter to the Quad Cities region and beyond. As someone who values the content created by WVIK's news department, please consider making a financial contribution to support our work.
