MolinaCares Accord Launches Behavioral Health Initiative in Washington
Over $700,000 in Funding for Mental Health Curriculum, Community Redevelopment, Youth Peer Counseling and Behavioral Health Workforce Training
BOTHELL, Wash., Dec 13, 2021 – The MolinaCares Accord (“MolinaCares”), in collaboration with Molina Healthcare of Washington, has launched The MolinaCares Behavioral Health Initiative – a philanthropic initiative to expand access to behavioral health across Washington.
“Expanding and enhancing the behavioral health workforce across our state is a group effort,” said Washington State Health Care Authority Director Sue Birch. “The MolinaCares initiative will be an important catalyst to help ensure Washington residents have access to high-quality, equitable whole-person care.”
As part of this initiative, MolinaCares is providing funding to the University of Washington School of Nursing (UW SoN) to assist in the development and implementation of a Family and Psychiatric Primary Care curriculum for nurse practitioners.
“Nurse practitioners play a critical role in identifying and addressing behavioral health needs in our community,” said Azita Emami, executive dean of the UW SoN. “Building a foundation of education and training for our frontline workforce is an important step in addressing the need for greater mental health resources in Washington. We are excited to partner with MolinaCares to integrate this critical program and ensure our nurses are best equipped to identify and treat early signs of behavioral health issues in primary care populations.”
MolinaCares is also collaborating with Compass Health to support the Broadway Campus Redevelopment Project to provide housing as well as inpatient and outpatient intensive behavioral health treatment in Everett.
The MolinaCares Behavioral Health Initiative will also focus on youth behavioral health needs by creating an exclusive partnership with SPARK Peer Learning Center to sponsor a six-week behavioral health peer counseling training program.
MolinaCares is also funding two Excelsior Wellness programs. The first program, MEET Excelsior, serves youth in need of behavioral health treatment by connecting them with necessary resources including social determinants of health and peer support. The second, Excelsior Equity Scholarship Program, funds educational opportunities for black and indigenous people of color enrolled in advanced degree programs in the fields of education, criminal justice and health care.
Finally, this initiative provides funding for Seattle Children’s Hospital’s RUBI program, which gives parents and caregivers evidence-based training on how to decrease challenging behaviors in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and help improve daily living skills.
“This initiative comes at a critical time when the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated and elevated behavioral health needs in our communities,” said Dr. Jay Fathi, plan president of Molina Healthcare of Washington. “We are proud to partner with organizations throughout Washington to address behavioral health challenges faced by many Washingtonians.”
About The MolinaCares Accord
Established by Molina Healthcare, Inc., The MolinaCares Accord oversees a community investment platform created to improve the health and well-being of disadvantaged populations by funding meaningful, measurable, and innovative programs and solutions that improve health, life, and living in local communities. The MolinaCares Accord funds such measures through The Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) established in 2020 by Molina Healthcare, Inc.
About Molina Healthcare of Washington
Molina Healthcare of Washington has been providing government-funded health care for over 20 years. The Company serves members through Medicaid, Medicare and the Health Benefit Exchange programs throughout Washington. Additionally, Molina Healthcare of Washington operates a primary care clinic in Everett (MyHealth Everett) and a mobile health unit (MyHealth Mobile) in the Spokane area. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare, Inc., a FORTUNE 500 company, served approximately 4.8 million members as of September 30, 2021. For more information about Molina Healthcare of Washington, visit MolinaHealthcare.com.