The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and Charleston County School District (CCSD) each announced a $1 million investment in the Medical University of South Carolina's (MUSC) Boeing Center for Children's Wellness (BCCW) to expand the program's offerings to include resources addressing children's mental health in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funding from Boeing and Charleston County School District will support the current school-based wellness initiative while adding mental health support offerings for schools in Charleston County. Supports will include training for classroom teachers to help children find appropriate coping mechanisms and ways to deal with stress as well as integration of MUSC Telehealth which will bring high quality, evidence-based, trauma-focused mental health services to children in a school setting. In addition, this funding will support the development of a plan to substantially change and improve the mental health system.
"Boeing is incredibly proud of this partnership because together we are building off the success of the MUSC Boeing Center for Children's Wellness, the expertise of the Medical University of South Carolina, and the dedication and commitment of the Charleston County School District to students, staff, and families," said Jennifer Lowe, vice present of National Strategy and Engagement with Boeing. "With this investment, MUSC and the BCCW will be able to dedicate resources to children's physical and mental health while creating space for Charleston County School District to focus on their core mission of academic achievement."
"By coming together through partnership, MUSC, Boeing and the Charleston County School District have seen significant results in reducing childhood obesity and improving student wellness," said David J. Cole, M.D., FACS, MUSC President. "We are so grateful to our friends at Boeing and CCSD for believing in us, sharing our innovative spirit and remaining such important partners as we seek to improve the wellbeing of children and their families. These funds will make a significant difference in helping the MUSC Boeing Center for Children's Wellness meet the increasing need for mental health support in schools."
"The provision of high-quality mental health services for our students and robust training for our staff is essential to ensuring our children have the tools they need to begin recovery from the impacts of COVID-19," said Rev. Dr. Eric Mack, CCSD Board of Trustees Chairman. "We know, undoubtedly, that our students have experienced profound loss in many, many ways this past year and we must find ways to join together as a community to wrap our resources and supports around our most important assets- our children."
Over the past decade, the MUSC BCCW, which reaches 17 school districts in South Carolina, has focused on wellness and obesity prevention by working directly with schools to implement programs that promote healthy eating, physical activity and social-emotional learning. The programs have demonstrated positive outcomes in connection to Body Mass Index (BMI), asthma, school attendance and suspensions/expulsions, and high school graduation rates. With Boeing's and CCSD's investment, the MUSC BCCW will expand school wellness to include more targeted mental health support by leveraging relationships with schools, state agencies and the hospital's vast expertise.
"The Boeing Company is once again leading the way in its support of our efforts to address the needs of children through working with schools. They supported our initial work to turn the tide of childhood obesity and have now recognized the current community need, improved mental health services," said Dr. Janice Key, Executive Director, Boeing Center for Children's Wellness.
