The MolinaCares Accord to Bring Calming Rooms and Spaces to all Petersburg City Public School Students
Ben Jackey, Ben.Jackey@MolinaHealthcare.com, 502-377-9484
PETERSBURG, Va. – June 27, 2023 – The MolinaCares Accord (“MolinaCares”), in collaboration with Molina Healthcare of Virginia (“Molina”), is expanding a partnership with Petersburg City Public Schools to provide calming rooms and safe spaces to students during the school day. Over 4,200 students at Petersburg City Public Schools will soon have access spaces dedicated for times when they may become frustrated, overwhelmed or just need quiet time. Molina employee volunteers are preparing the rooms to be ready for the upcoming school year.
Molina will bring new calming rooms to Lakemont Elementary School and Vernon Johns Middle School by the end of June 2023, as well as designated calming spaces for every school in Petersburg City Public Schools by September of 2023. The decision to expand this program follows the success of a calming room Molina (then Magellan Complete Care of Virginia) built in Petersburg High School that has been in continuous use since 2019. Over 40 Petersburg High School students have attended wellness sessions in the calming room from March 2023 through June 2023.
“Ensuring students have access to resources that make them healthier and happier is something we’re honored to provide for the community,” said Darrin Johnson, plan president of Molina Healthcare of Virginia. “We’re excited to expand this partnership and support Petersburg Schools as they create the best environment for students to learn.”
Working directly with the schools’ behavioral health directors, Molina helped design the new calming rooms with age-appropriate furniture and sensory items. Volunteers from Molina will invest a total of 120-150 hours constructing the calming rooms and spaces by the time the program reaches completion.
“These calming rooms are an invaluable resource for our students and staff to use,” said Alicia Fields, principal of Petersburg High School. “It’s a place where students are able to remove themselves from stressful and overwhelming situations, allowing them to calm down and then come back into the classroom ready to engage and learn.”
Petersburg City Public Schools receiving dedicated calming rooms and calming spaces in every classroom sponsored by Molina include:
- Petersburg High School (calming room installed 2019)
- Vernon Johns Middle School (calming room to be completed in June of 2023)
- Lakemont Elementary School (calming room to be completed in June of 2023)
Petersburg City Public Schools receiving calming spaces in every classroom sponsored by Molina include:
- Cool Springs Elementary School
- Pleasants Lane Elementary School
- Vernon Johns Middle School
- Walnut Hill Elementary School
- Westview Early Childhood Education Center
About The MolinaCares Accord
Established by Molina Healthcare, Inc., The MolinaCares Accord oversees a community investment platform created to improve the health and well-being of disadvantaged populations by funding meaningful, measurable, and innovative programs and solutions that improve health, life, and living in local communities. The MolinaCares Accord funds such measures through The Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) established in 2020 by Molina Healthcare, Inc.
About Molina Healthcare of Virginia:
Since 2017, Molina Healthcare of Virginia, LLC, has been providing government-funded, quality health care to its members through Medicaid and Medicare programs including Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus and Medallion 4.0. Molina Healthcare of Virginia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Molina Healthcare, Inc. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare, Inc., a FORTUNE 500 company, served approximately 5.3 million members as of March 31, 2023. For more information about Molina Healthcare of Virginia, visit MolinaHealthcare.com.
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