School-Based Services

Adopt-A-School Program

Thank you for your interest in partnering with MHS to become an ‘adopted’ school. The Adopt-A-School program allows MHS and schools to collaborate on initiatives and programs to educate students and their families on the importance of healthy living. Programming is interactive and emphasizes the importance of exercise, healthy eating, bullying prevention, school nurse support, and access to care.

Adopted schools must agree to host at least two components of the Adopt-A-School program each year. Included in the adoption of a school, the school will receive a nurse kit within the first year as well as health insurance information and educational brochures to provide to families. The school will also invite MHS to participate in either a Back-To-School or parent engagement event.

Applications for the Adopt-A-School program are due by June 30 every year. Schools selected will be notified by July 15th.

Begin the Adopt-a-School Application

If selected the school will choose from the following components of the Adopt-A-School program (click on a title to read more):

Programs for Students and Staff

This event is in partnership with the Joseph Maley Foundation Puppet Friends. The shows, tailored to K-3rd grade, utilize peers performing on various topics around bully prevention, what we should do, and being good friends. Additional presentation options for those students in 4th - 6th grade. Students can participate in poster and essay contest beforehand and will have the opportunity to sign a bully prevention pledge that will be turned into a billboard near the school. Additional opportunity to coordinate a bully prevention workshop the same afternoon/evening targeted for parents.

Gardening and planting have been shown to touch students in many aspects of life from math and science to mental health and trauma recovery. MHS will provide the classroom with seed kits and instructions for students to be able to plant their own seeds and watch them grow! Additional gardening resources, including tower gardens, may be available upon request.

An hour long interactive assembly for students grades K-2nd which includes: a health presentation from MHS staff, games and exercise demonstrations by MHS mascot RosieRoo and her friends from Playworks. MHS will also provide a financial donation or continued opportunities with Playworks to your school.

Educational opportunities geared toward students in grades 3rd-5th and all school staff. Staff training topicss are on behavioral management, helping to prevent suicide, and trauma informed care. The social-emotional learning series for 3rd-5th graders is a 3-part series that covers the five interrelated sets of cognitive, affective, and behavioral competencies that help children more effectively handle life challenges and thrive in both their learning and social environments.

Behavioral Management: Identification, Prevention & De-escalation Techniques
A Teacher’s Role in Helping to Prevent Suicide
Trauma Informed Care in a School Setting
Youth Mental Health First Aid

Programs for Families

Kids can be under a lot of stress. As a parent, it can be hard to know how to help. At Balanced Child events, kids and parents learn about the importance of preventive care, talk about having a medical home, and learn coping skills and relaxation techniques. And, each event ends with a fun yoga class for everyone!

Health insurance shouldn’t be stressful. This free program for MHS members teaches participants how to make the most of their health coverage. Participants learn how insurance works, how to earn rewards for getting care, how to find resources and get support, and more!

Targeted for the entire school community to provide assistance with planning health fairs, health insurance education and enrollment events and more.

Foster Care Training Available:

Advocacy: Champion for Better Lives
Attachment Among Children & Youth in Foster Care
Behavior Management & Using Behavior Charts
Childhood Development: Birth to Early Adulthood
Childhood Traumatic Grief for Caregivers
Coping with Holiday Stress for Children
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)
Helping Kids Cope With Bullying and Preventing Bullying Behavior
Human Trafficking
Intellectual & Developmental Disorder Diagnosis & Care
Providing Foster Care Placement Stability
Resilience: The Art & Science of Healing from Trauma
Intro to Trauma Informed Parenting: Caring for Children Who Have Experienced Trauma (with The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
Advanced Trauma Informed Parenting: More About Caring for Children Who Have Experienced Trauma (with The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)

Additional Parent Training Available:

Bullying Prevention: Everyone’s Responsibility – What Parents Can Do (Provided by In*SOURCE Indiana)
It’s Not What You Say…But How You Say It – Effective Communication (Provided by About Special Kids)
My Child Has Special Needs: Now What? (Provided by About Special Kids)

MHS offers a variety of live training opportunities. To request a training, please contact Elizabeth Sons at Elizabeth.Sons@mhsindiana.com or call 1-317-620-6351.

Testimonials

"The support from MHS was exemplary. I was very impressed with the organization of our event, as well as the professionalism of all MHS staff members involved."

- Respondent, School-Based Health Partnership Survey Report

"Your organization has been very kind and generous to our school over the years and has made a positive impact upon our students and staff.”

- Principal William Smith, Farrington Grove Elementary, personal letter