Chartiers Valley implements AHN Chill Room program for all grades

They may not be able to take the proverbial chill pill.

But this year, all Chartiers Valley School District students will have the opportunity to take walks to Chill Rooms.

The district has expanded its partnership with Allegheny Health Network to offer an innovative support service from kindergarten through 12th grade. A pilot program took place at the high school for 2021-22.

Chill Rooms are designed as quiet, calming spaces, and each is staffed five days a week by a pair of AHN professionals, a behavioral health school educator and behavioral health therapist, the latter in place on behalf of students who require intensive and individualized social, emotional and behavioral support.

“We provide opportunities for skill building, and for students to learn about their emotions and how to regulate them, plus some coping strategies to handle stress or anxiety,” behavioral health therapist Christina Cichon said as she assisted colleagues Tara Deutsch and Izzy Cutler is setting up a Chill Room at Chartiers Valley Intermediate School.

Cichon is working with kindergartners through second-graders at the district’s primary school.

“There are studies showing that providing kids even as young as 4 or 5 with the skills to manage their emotions helps them deal with stress and deal with trauma that happens at different stages of their lives,” she said.

Angela Conigliaro, school district director of communications and strategic partnerships, pointed out a particular advantage of the Chill Room project.

“It’s really, really hard for kids to see a therapist, in general. The caseload is unbelievable,” she said. “So the fact that these kids can come in here and talk with therapists in school, the benefit it has to families, it can’t be calculated.”

Another facet of the project is the introduction of a Chill Mobile that will pay one-week visits three times during the school year. The specialized vehicle is able to serve approximately 400 students per visit, according to information presented by AHN to Chartiers Valley School Board.

The presentation features a summary of Chill Room activity showing 5,086 total uses from last August through May, including student visits, Mindfulness Week groups, and professional development sessions and other services with faculty members.

Also, the presentation outlines goals for 2022, in addition to expansion of the program to all grades during its second year of implementation:

• Pilot a Chill Mobile experience that is tailored for specifically for high school athletes.

• Offer at least one fall and one spring community/family outreach opportunity.

• Continue to explore creative ways of reaching every student for at least one exposure to the Chill Room.