RESTON, VA — A $25,000 grant from the HCA Healthcare Foundation will support mental wellness programs for Girl Scouts in fourth through 12th grades, HCA Virginia announced Thursday.
The grant, awarded through the foundation’s Healthier Tomorrow Fund, will go to the Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital. The funding will help implement Girl Scouts of the USA’s Mental Wellness Patch Programs.
The programs — Knowing My Emotions, Finding My Voice and Showing Up for Me and You — are designed to help Girl Scouts learn about mental wellness, recognize and understand their feelings, cope with mental health challenges and become more comfortable seeking help.
The Mental Wellness Patch Program was developed in partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the GSUSA Program Advisory Committee, which includes HCA Healthcare behavioral health experts. The program is available to Girl Scout councils nationwide.
“We are incredibly grateful to the HCA Healthcare Foundation for this investment in our mission,” Kim R. Ford, CEO of Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital, said in a statement. “There has never been a more important time to empower young people to lead and succeed. Together, we are helping create a culture where conversations about mental wellness are encouraged and accessible for youth from every background.”
HCA Virginia has invested nearly $70,000 to launch Mental Wellness Patch Programs in Central and Southwest Virginia with the Girl Scouts of the Virginia Skyline and Girl Scouts of the Commonwealth of Virginia councils. Nearly 3,000 patches have been awarded to date, according to HCA Virginia.
“Mental wellbeing is essential to overall health,” Nathan Vooys, CEO of Reston Hospital Center, said in a statement. “Girl Scouts are developing the next generation of leaders, and we believe everyone should make mental wellness a priority. This investment demonstrates our commitment to supporting the mental health of our patients, colleagues and communities.”
The local award is part of a $1.38 million HCA Healthcare Foundation grant to GSUSA through the Healthier Tomorrow Fund. The grant was announced last year through the foundation’s Community Catalyst Grant Program, which focuses on expanding access to care and addressing local health needs.
HCA Virginia Health System operates 14 hospitals, including Reston Hospital Center, as well as 26 outpatient centers, eight freestanding emergency rooms and 12 urgent care centers. The system is affiliated with more than 3,100 physicians.
Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital serves more than 74,000 members in Washington, D.C., and 25 counties in Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia.
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