The Wellness Center Support Committee has announced a $28,000 grant to the PUSD Wellness Center for the 2021-22 school year. The grant will provide stipends to the associate clinicians who work with PUSD students at the Wellness Center under the direction of Clinical Supervisor Dr. Alisa Crovetti and Amy Hazer, LCSW.
“Stipends are necessary for the Wellness Center to continue to attract high level staff from psychology, social work, and therapist graduate programs and to increase clinician retention, and are necessary for future accreditation by the American Psychological Association,” said Dr. Crovetti. “Stipends also allow us to attract a more diverse pool of applicants, which in turn allows us to provide student services that are culturally responsive.”
The PUSD Wellness Center is open for in-person and online counseling and provides confidential, free counseling services to all Piedmont High School, Millennium High School, and Piedmont Middle School students, including IEP-based counseling services. The Wellness Center helps students manage common emotional and social challenges of middle and high school including stress, depression, grief, family or friendship conflicts, and substance use concerns.
During the past year, the Wellness Center has seen a rise in student referrals, and has been instrumental in helping students cope with the increased anxiety many have experienced during the pandemic.
Wellness Center funding comes from a combination of grants, PUSD general fund contributions, and the Wellness Center Support Committee, a parent and community fundraising and advocacy group.
The WCSC has begun planning their second annual Walk for Wellness fundraiser under the direction of event co-chairs Nicki Gilbert and KeriAnne Hohener. “Walk for Wellness 2021 will be a community-building and accessible event that promises to be fun for the whole family — more details and registration information will be available this summer,” said Gilbert.
To support the Wellness Center, please visit www.piedmontwalkforwellness.com or email piedmontwalkforwellness@gmail.com.