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Whole Child Care

Caring for Student Health, Wellness, and Daily Needs

At MHS, we believe every student’s future is full of possibilities, and meeting their daily needs is essential to helping them succeed. That’s why we remove the stress around providing for basic necessities. Clothing, food, fitness opportunities, and hair care are all included as part of our program. Students also receive comprehensive health care, all at no cost.

student with staff in clothing center

Clothing

As the Deed of Trust states, students are to be “plainly, neatly, and comfortably clothed, without distinctive dress.” As part of the MHS founding principles, all students receive free clothing as they grow up. Every child can dress for every occasion.

Milton Hershey School hair stylist with student in salon

On-Campus Hair Salon

Hair care is an important part of the way MHS is providing for daily needs at school. Spartan Styles is a fully licensed salon and barber shop on campus. It provides trims, hairstyles, and hair care advice to students at no cost.

MHS student climbing a rock wall at PE class

Student Fitness

An active lifestyle improves quality of life, overall health, and physical performance. We provide structured exercise classes and extracurricular activities to help students invest in their fitness.

The Clothing Center

When students enroll at MHS, they receive a full wardrobe of approximately 85 items from the Clothing Center. Learn more about the types of clothing and specific items students receive.

Coordinated Clothing for School

All divisions of students wear coordinated clothing daily for class, school events, visiting, and other designated school functions. These outfits follow certain guidelines and display the school logo to create a uniform look.

Items Available to Students

  • Shirts
  • Slacks
  • Shorts
  • Fleeces
  • Sweatshirts
  • School socks
  • Sneakers

Leisure Wear Clothing

Leisure wear is to be worn for work and play at the student home. It also is appropriate for recreation. In most cases, the students and houseparents decide what is appropriate for leisure wear. If a parent/sponsor cannot afford to provide leisure wear, the school will provide it at no expense.

Items Available to Students

  • Shirts
  • Shorts
  • Jeans
  • Sweatshirts
  • Sweatpants
  • House shoes
  • Play sneakers

Dress Wear Clothing

Dress wear is worn for Sunday Chapel, off-campus worship, and other special occasions. These guidelines help students become aware of appropriate professional, formal, and semi-formal attire.

Items Available to Students

  • Sport coats
  • Formal shirts
  • Formal slacks
  • Belts
  • Neckties
  • Dress socks
  • Dresses
  • Chapel shoes
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Outerwear, Swimwear, and Intimates

Outerwear Available to Students

  • Light-weight jackets
  • Winter coats for school
  • Winter coats for play
  • Raincoats
  • Hats
  • Gloves
  • Thermal tops and bottoms
  • Snow pants
  • Snow boots

Swimwear and Intimates Available to Students

  • Swimming suits/shorts/shirts
  • Pool shoes
  • Briefs or underwear
  • Bras
  • Undershirts
  • Pajamas
  • Robes

Family- and Sponsor-Provided Clothing

The school allows a limited amount of approved leisure and dress wear that the student and/or their family or sponsor provides. Please note that this sort of clothing must have school approval before being worn.

Student with school nurse

Student Health Services

MHS provides cost-free medical, dental, and psychological services to students. We do this through top-notch staff and state-of-the-art facilities, including a 40-bed health center, three school nurse clinics, and three dental clinics. A licensed social worker coordinates student health services. This person connects students to all health services available to them.

Health and Wellness Services

Learn more about the health and wellness services offered to our students.

Medical

Milton Hershey School’s medical staff includes the following experts:

  • Pediatricians
  • Registered nurses
  • Certified nursing assistants
  • Registered dietitians
  • A pre-enrollment coordinator
  • Staff assistants
  • A medical claims analyst
  • A health systems manager

This team provides medical care for students. They are offered:

  • 24/7 at the Health Center
  • Week days at the Copenhaver Medical Clinic
  • Weekdays in each school building

Our list of services is comprehensive and includes:

  • Health screenings
  • Physicals/sports assessments
  • Vaccinations
  • Health education
  • Distribution of medications

Dental

Milton Hershey School’s dental staff includes the following experts:

  • Dentists
  • An orthodontist
  • Dental hygienists
  • Dental and orthodontic assistants
  • An office secretary

We offer full dental services to MHS students. We also work to educate and inform. Our goals include:

  • Providing education about proper daily oral hygiene
  • Educating students about nutrition
  • Emphasizing cavity prevention
  • Addressing oral disease and tooth decay. This improves the students’ overall oral health.
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Vision

Milton Hershey School’s vision staff includes the following experts:

  • Optometrists
  • An office secretary

We offer full vision services and eyewear to MHS students. We provide:

  • Annual vision screening
  • Glasses
  • Contacts

Nutrition

Milton Hershey School’s nutrition staff includes the following experts:

  • Registered dietitian/nutritionists
  • Overall medical team (support role)

Our nutrition staff works closely with the medical team. Their goal is to support students that may benefit from nutrition services.

The nutritionists provide, to select students, services such as:

  • Nutrition assessments
  • Diet suggestions
  • Counseling
  • Food, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle education

Nutritionists partner with Food Services staff to promote healthy eating. We focus on foods that provide a variety of nutrients.

Psychological Support

Milton Hershey School’s Psychological Services team’s goal is to help students achieve happiness and success. Our psychological services staff includes:

  • Psychologists
  • Psychotherapists
  • Behavioral specialists
  • Mental health workers

These credentialed experts help students in a variety of ways. They provide students a realistic knowledge of their strengths. Students consider academic, social, emotional, and physical strengths.

Our complete services include:

  • Single-student and group therapy
  • Evaluation
  • Counseling
  • Medication management
  • Crisis intervention

Counseling services are available to all students. Students are encouraged to seek counseling at their school buildings when needed. On occasion, parents/sponsors may wish to have a counselor speak with their child. Parents/sponsors are welcome to contact Psychological Services staff.

Behavioral Services

The MHS Behavioral Services staff includes the following roles:

  • Mental health workers (credentialed)
  • Crisis intervention team

Behavioral Services staff members provide support for students. They direct skill-building to promote positive behavior. After-school programs extend these academic, social, and self-management skills.

Mental health workers provide individual students with skills development. This support improves student behavior in school and in student homes. We work to preserve the learning environment of the classroom. For disruptive or upset students, Skills Centers provide a temporary placement and learning opportunity.

The Crisis Intervention Team is another group that supports students. This group provides behavioral support to struggling students. Therapeutic camps are offered during the summer. These camps help students build social and emotional skills. All adults who work closely with students are offered consultations and training.

Social Work Support

The Social Work program provides a variety of services to students. Licensed social workers offer the following:

  • Transition services (to help students locate medical, counseling, and specialized educational programs)
  • Psychosocial assessments
  • Assistance with public service programs (cash assistance, medical assistance, and Social Security benefits)

Social workers work to ensure students’ legal guardian status are honored. They are the link between the school and outside entities, including:

  • Child welfare agencies
  • Families
  • Courts to assure that students’ legal guardian status is honored

Some students have a disability or special need (outlined in an Accommodation/ADA Plan). Social workers are part of the team that ensures students the assistance they need.

student receiving an ear exam

Sensitive Health Issues & Confidentially

Student Health Services respects student privacy and shares information only when necessary, considering each student’s needs, others’ legitimate “need to know,” and applicable laws. As students mature, they have increasing control over their health information, though parents/sponsors are kept informed about serious health concerns.

Some students may feel unable to discuss sensitive health topics such as sexuality, birth control, pregnancy, or sexually transmitted diseases with family, and their request for privacy is respected in such situations. Students are encouraged to understand their parents’/sponsors’ concerns and communicate with them. Parents/sponsors who are uncomfortable discussing sensitive issues with their children are invited to contact Student Health Services for support.

Middle school students in the student home

Care in Student Homes

On-campus housing provides stability and safety for MHS students. It is available year round and supports our whole child care philosophy. Houseparents are critical in connecting their students with the care they need. They help students stay healthy and thrive by providing meals, administering medicine, and supporting our students’ emotional well-being.

Explore Life on Campus

Milton Hershey School will not tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion or religious creed, veteran status, disability, or any other status protected under applicable federal or Pennsylvania law (collectively “Protected Characteristics”), against any applicant for admission, enrolled student, or any other individual(s) who participate(s) in the programs, services, and activities of the School. Read important MHS policies on equal opportunity and diversity, equal employment opportunity, and more.