Baldwin-Whitehall Opens Center For Stressed-Out Students To Chill

BALDWIN, PA - The Baldwin-Whitehall School District and Allegheny Health Network will officially open the CHILL Project Mindfulness Center at Baldwin High School on Wednesday. Since its soft opening in September, the center has assisted more than 300 students for issues such as anxiety, exam apprehension and peer conflicts.

Staffed by a behavioral health therapist and behavioral health therapist, the center provides students with a calming, immersive environment with soft seats, student murals and meditative lighting. The center's visual centerpiece is a three-dimensional tree sculpted by Lilliput Play Homes that includes a seating sanctuary with its open trunk.

Students have access to the center during regular school hours and are able to schedule appointments confidentially.

“We have committed to supporting students in their opportunity for success in all areas of their lives: academically, emotionally, and socially,” superintendent Randal A. Lutz said in a district release. “The CHILL Center represents a significant stride in our mental health services. Traditionally, school services have been utilized only by students with identified challenges.

We are only beginning to realize the importance of making these important services readily and easily accessible to everyone in our school community.”

The project is made possible with support from the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, Jefferson Foundation, Allegheny Health Network and the school district.