HCA Virginia announces HCA Healthcare Foundation's partnership with the Girl Scouts

The HCA Healthcare Foundation and Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) recently launched a national Mental Wellness Patch Program to address mental wellness among young women. Locally, HCA Virgina and Girl Scouts of the Commonwealth have joined forces to implement this program, which is specifically designed for girls in grades four through 12. These new patches provide useful tools to help them safely identify and explore their feelings, seek support and find resources for help, if needed.

"At HCA Healthcare, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life,” said Dr. William Lunn, president of HCA Healthcare Capital Division. “Our nation faces a mental health crisis, and I am proud to provide much-needed resources to our community in partnership with the Girl Scouts of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As a father of three girls, I am particularly focused on this population and initiatives targeting tweens and teenagers.”

The Girl Scouts of the USA's Mental Wellness Patch Programs, developed in partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) are currently available to all Girl Scout councils nationwide. The programs were additionally reviewed by GSUSA's Program Advisory Sub-Committee on Mental Wellness, which included HCA Healthcare behavioral health experts. The new patch programs encourage girls to learn about mental wellness for themselves and others; recognize and understand their feelings; effectively cope with mental health challenges; and feel comfortable seeking help.

“Girl Scouting helps build girls who are capable, bold, and adventurous as they explore their interests and become leaders in their community,” said Molly T. Fuller, Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of the Commonwealth of Virginia. “They’re discovering themselves, connecting with others, and taking action to make the world a better place, which are the primary goals of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. We are learning from our girls that their future success depends upon them being empowered to prioritize their wellbeing now."

The patches are:

• Knowing My Emotions (Girl Scout Juniors, grades four–five) 
  This patch teaches Girl Scout Juniors positive coping skills and how to name their feelings. 
• Finding My Voice (Girl Scout Cadettes, grades six–eight)
  Girl Scout Cadettes learn about stigma, helping friends, how to be mindful on social media and how to practice self-care.
• Showing Up For Me and You (Girl Scout Seniors/Ambassadors, grades nine - 12)
  This patch equips Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors with tactics for practicing self-care as well as coping mechanisms on how to handle difficult situations for themselves and others.

The programming includes 90-minute sessions that feature activities such as making art or writing poetry that foster resilience and help girls to better understand their world. Program materials also include meeting aids, parent/caregiver resources, teaser activities, and marketing tools to equip Girl Scout troop leaders and council staff with support and activities focused on mental wellness, behavioral issues, and healthy habits. Each patch also includes an adult facilitator guide to help adults approach girls in a sensitive way, prompt important conversations, and guide them through difficult moments.

HCA Healthcare is committed to promoting mental wellness for its patients, colleagues, and communities. With approximately 2,300 sites of care, including 182 hospitals, in communities across 20 states, HCA Healthcare uses the knowledge and data from more than 320,000 annual behavioral health patient encounters to make positive advances in the ways it provides care to its patients.

In addition to its national support of GSUSA, The HCA Healthcare Foundation has supported Girl Scouts locally since 1998. In 2017, it was expanded to support specialty troops, including those with unhoused girls. In July, HCA Healthcare was a national sponsor of Phenom by Girl Scouts, an event that attracted more than 10,000 Girl Scouts. At the event, Girl Scouts and their parents or guardians participated in a variety of activities, including visiting HCA Healthcare’s booth to learn more about the Mental Wellness Patch Program.

This partnership is a result of the HCA Healthcare Foundation’s $1.38 million grant to Girl Scouts of the USA, through its Healthier Tomorrow Fund, which was announced last year.