Mission Health, the North Carolina Division of Hospital Corporation of America, recently announced it had collaborated with EVERFI, an international technology company driving social change through education, to launch an interactive, mental health and wellness digital education course for middle and high school students in conjunction with Mental Illness Awareness Week.
The course will be available in McDowell, Macon and Buncombe counties.
Called “Mental Wellness Basics,” the course is targeted to reach more than 12,000 middle and high school students in an estimated 105 school districts in Southeast Florida, Western North Carolina, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Texas. HCA Healthcare is investing nearly $1 million over the next three years to sponsor the course.
“While mental health is at the forefront as we navigate the pandemic, it has long been an important and integral part of Mission Health and HCA Healthcare’s whole-person care,” said Manisha Shah, regional vice president of behavioral health services for Mission Health. “This partnership gives students and educators access to important resources and highlights our commitment to community wellness. We are excited about teaming up with EVERFI.”
Macon County Schools Superintendent Chris Baldwin said the program is welcomed help for local students.
“We have an abundance of mental health issues with our students,” Baldwin said Monday. “Any assistance we can get is welcome. We’re grateful to the assistance provided by Mission Health and EVERFI.”
Mental Wellness Basics is designed to provide teachers with the additional curriculum to equip students in grades eight to 10 with the knowledge and skills necessary to build, maintain and promote positive mental health in themselves and their peers. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in six U.S. youth (ages 6-17) experience a mental health disorder each year. The course provides learners with accurate information about mental health disorders, the sharing of peer experiences with mental illness and messaging that treatment is effective and available.
“It is critical to approach the challenge of mental health with awareness from all perspectives,” EVERFI Founder and President, Jon Chapman said in a written statement. “We wanted to design an educational program that benefits those who are impacted by mental health challenges, those who want to build and maintain positive mental health, and those who have the opportunity to positively impact the mental health of a friend or peer.”
For more information about HCA Healthcare’s collaboration with EVERFI, email Community.Engagement@HCAhealthcare.com.