The AHN Chill Project™ Supports Students’ Mental Health
As a behavioral health school consultant working with adolescents, Dr. Will Davies knew firsthand the gaps in mental health services for youth. In 2018, Dr. Davies saw five students die from gun violence in one school district, and five more in another district due to suicide. “It made me ask, ‘What are we doing in healthcare and education to prevent this?’ We were reacting, not preventing,” he said.
Dr. Davies examined the systems in place. “We were waiting until the students reached healthcare. There were no preventive systems in place, and it was a recipe for disaster. Kids were falling through the cracks,” he said. “Why not develop preventive care?”
The next year, Dr. Davies developed the AHN Chill Project™ under the Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Institute. “We knew that we had to develop a multi-level system of support and work with teachers, students and parents. We used evidence-based coping techniques and dedicated spaces to manage stress and anxiety,” Dr. Davies said. That first year, the pilot project was launched in two school districts – today they serve 53 with a waiting list.
According to Dr. Davies, manger of the Chill Project™, the project provides several levels of comprehensive care that focuses on prevention, utilizing evidence-based skill education and practice opportunities for students, teachers, administrators and staff, plus offering full-time outpatient services in school settings.
A unique aspect of the program is the AHN Chill Room™. Students can go to a designated room located within their school to interact with professional mental health care providers from AHN to learn and practice evidence-based coping skills. These spaces are designed with cozy seating areas, natural themes, soft lighting and sensory tools. Northgate, West Jefferson Hills, Chartiers Valley and Carlynton are a few school districts that host a Chill Room™.
While the Chill Project™ has grown exponentially, they knew that there were others who could benefit from the program, especially to serve those outside of the Greater Pittsburgh Area. To serve these needs, over the past few years, the Chill Mobile™, the AHN Pop-Up Chill Room™, the Extended School Year and the Project Summer Programs, and the AHN Chill Project™ Licensing Model have been developed.
Another component of the Project is a favorite for younger children, the innovative Cai & Kate® YouTube educational program. Kate Kohne, a licensed professional counselor, and her puppet companion, Cai the Chameleon, star in the show where they integrate evidence-based coping techniques into each episode. “We saw a big gap after COVID in development for children before they hit school age. We decided to address this need through the program and created videos that use common language and situations to introduce coping skills,” Kohne said.
While the show was created for younger children, Kohne said they discovered older viewers were also benefiting, plus special education programs were utilizing the videos. Currently, there are 60 full-length episodes, and additional content available, along with curriculum for K-3rd grades. “People from all across the globe can be watching us, plus the programming is free for anyone. It is a great resource for homeschoolers,” Kohne said. Cai & Kate® also recently performed their first live assembly. “It was a celebration for the end of the year at one of our schools,” she said.
The Chill Project™ also extends into higher education – Kohne serves as a therapist at CCAC.
Paige Staiger is a behavioral health clinician and works with the AHN Pop-Up Chill Room™, a temporary, drop-in space at various locations. Staiger, along with her colleague, Chloe Scott, provides the same services to help students, schools and other communities to learn and utilize the same evidence-based coping skills offered at the permanent sites. “It is a way to extend our services. We often work with Special Olympics, for example,” Staiger said.
Scott said that the services offered through the Pop-Up Chill Rooms™ in the community are invaluable. “By offering tailored programming and practical, evidence-based coping skills at a variety of events, we can help make mental wellness support feel accessible and relevant,” she said.
Chill Mobile®, another preventive off-site program run by two behavioral health school educators, is offered through a partnership between AHN Chill Project™ and Pittsburgh Pirates Charities. “It is an actual 33-foot mobile vehicle that we take all over,” Scott explained. As with the other programs, the therapists focus on using their teaching, preventive, evidence-based coping strategies.
Other Chill Project™ outreach services include the Extended School Year and the Summer Program. According to Dr. Davies, the ESY works with students whose Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goals can be accomplished through behavioral health skill building and is available to all students in the greater Pittsburgh area. The Summer Program, a six-week program, is offered through the South Fayette Middle School for children ages 5-12.
The Chill Project™ has expanded their reach as far as Delaware and the eastern part of PA through the Licensing Model. Through this arm of the Project, AHN provides training and support to school districts located outside of the greater Pittsburgh region.
Programming is paid through a variety of sources, including student insurance, the schools themselves, grant funding and other partnerships, Dr. Davies explained. CCAC provides the program for their students, regardless of insurance.
In the few short years the Chill Project™ has been providing services, the results have been formidable. “We know that we are getting into the pathway of suffering and death. Just last year, it is estimated that we had 94 cases where suicide was prevented. And there were multiple school shootings that have been prevented,” Dr. Davies said.
Dr. Davies encourages anyone seeking services to reach out. “Don’t give up hope. We are here, and we have services,” he said.
For those wanting more information about the AHN Chill Project™, including how to facilitate a Chill Project™ at their school or to receive services, visit:
Chill Project™ website: https://www.ahn.org/services/psychiatry-mental-health/mindfulness/chill-project
Cai & Kate® YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CaiandKate
Cai & Kate® website: https://www.ahn.org/services/psychiatry-mental-health/mindfulness/chill-project/cai-and-kate
Those interested in receiving the free-of-cost curriculum for grades K-3 can reach out to chillproduction@ahn.org and simply state, “I would like access to the curriculum,” and they will be sent the links.
To contact a member of the Chill team or to ask questions, email: AHNChillInformation@ahn.org.
This is exactly the kind of proactive support schools need. Shifting from reacting to preventing, especially with dedicated spaces like the Chill Room, makes such a difference for students. If you're exploring wellness resources, it's always smart to check feedback first you might find https://wellness-warrior.pissedconsumer.com/review.html helpful before committing to any program.