The Muscogee County School District is pleased to announce a new partnership effort with the Pastoral Institute to address employee and student needs for mental health support and resources amid the COVID-19 pandemic. All sessions are provided at have been possible by the Coronavirus Response Fund—a partnership between the United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley and the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley. District employees and students will have virtual access to licensed professionals who will address subjects such as resiliency, suicide and self-harm prevention, dealing with grief, depression, and self-care.

Employee-specific content will feature live interactive chat sessions, offering participants opportunities to present questions in real-time to each session’s hosts. Student-specific content will feature videos, three to five minutes in length, aimed at helping students gain an understanding of mental wellness and providing quick tips for coping during the pandemic.

 “The District Wellness Committee is grateful for the amazing support we have received from this partnership. Our goal is to create safe spaces and provide equitable access to resources that would help each student and employee address his/her mental health needs,” said Dr. Angela Vickers-Ward, District Mental Health and Wellness Committee Chair and Chief Student Services Officer.

In response to the pandemic, the District formed the Mental Health and Wellness Committee to focus on mental and physical health supports needed in preparation for re-opening measures. Initial feedback was gathered from the District’s Connect & Chat sessions, which indicated mental health as a foremost concern with re-opening plan measures.

After reviewing all available resources, the committee approached the Pastoral Institute to expand its previous partnership offerings to emphasize mental health awareness, anticipating significant impacts due to the pandemic. 

The Coronavirus Response Fund Advisory Committee awarded The Pastoral Institute a grant totaling $9,838 to fund this initiative, providing critical support to the District, serving more than 5,200 employees (full-and part-time) and approximately 31,000 students.

“The Pastoral Institute is excited to serve the MCSD community to offer this new, innovative virtual mental health and wellness resource to help address the behavioral health needs of students, parents and educators in our community. This partnership is a true example of how the crisis has brought the community together,” said Amarylis West, Business Development Coordinator, Pastoral Institute.