Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield awards Camden Fairview Middle School $2,500 to construct a Take Good Care Calming Room

Posted Date: 11/13/2023

Camden Fairview Middle School is excited to begin working on a new campus addition! CFMS was recently named one of 75 schools in the state to receive $2,500 to construct and furnish a calming room, aimed at addressing the mental well-being of students.

The funding is part of Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s Take Good Care Calming Room initiative.

“We are so excited to bring a calming room to CFMS. Middle school can be a challenging time for every student, and the calming room will provide our students space to pause, reflect, and receive support if needed,” said Megan Launius, CFMS Mental Health Therapist.

According to state data, more than 14%, or 83,135 Arkansas children and teens, are dealing with anxiety and depression. Calming rooms are designed to give students who are feeling stressed or anxious a quiet place to reflect and refocus so they can perform their best when they return to the classroom.

“To mark Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s 75 anniversary this year, we wanted to do something that would make an impact on the health and well-being of young people in our state,” said Arkansas Blue Cross President and CEO Curtis Barnett. “What better way than to help 75 schools provide a safe space where their students can decompress and learn healthy coping skills that will last them a lifetime.”

In conjunction with its 75th anniversary, Arkansas Blue Cross has also trained nearly 900 people in communities across Arkansas in Mental Health First Aid, surpassing its goal of 750.

Construction of the CFMS calming room will be complete by May 2024.