Molina Healthcare of Nevada and NAMI Western Nevada Announce Inaugural Pilot Integrating Mental Health Crisis Response in Rural Communities
Media Contact: Rhonda Frazier, Rhonda.Frazier@MolinaHealthCare.Com, (562) 980-3849
Carson City, Nev., March 11, 2025 — The MolinaCares Accord (“MolinaCares”), in collaboration with Molina Healthcare of Nevada (“Molina”), has announced a first of its kind partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Western Nevada to pilot the integration of a Peer Recovery Support Specialist (PRSS) to support the Carson City Sheriff’s Office Mobile Outreach Safety Team (MOST).
MOST is comprised of a team of law enforcement and mental health professionals focused on diverting individuals suffering from a mental health crisis away from ending up in jails or hospitals by connecting them to local community-based resources.
It is estimated that 20% of police calls for service involve a mental health or substance abuse crisis, indicating that law enforcement are often first responders for behavioral health crises. Through a $90,000 grant, MolinaCares’ support will enable NAMI Western Nevada to dedicate one full-time certified PRSS to provide peer support, resource navigation, peer mentoring, and community connectivity to Nevadans who engage with the Carson City Sheriff’s Office MOST.
“As a board-certified psychiatrist, I have seen the important role peer support can play in treatment and recovery,” said Dr. Nima Alinejad, chief medical officer for Molina Healthcare of Nevada. “Our partnership with NAMI Western Nevada, which will in turn support the Carson City Sheriff’s Office’s MOST, is one of the many ways Molina is embracing innovative approaches to addressing some of the most pressing behavioral health challenges facing our state.”
PRSS services have been proven to be effective for those with substance abuse disorder, improving relationships with providers, reducing risk of relapse, and increasing treatment retention. The PRSS within the MOST team will assist clients with resource navigation, respond to mental health crises in the field, and help educate the Carson Sheriff’s Office on peer support, among other responsibilities.
“Thanks to Molina’s commitment to improving behavioral health services, Nevada will lead the way in how law enforcement, clinical staff, and peers collaborate to connect individuals amid a mental health crisis into the appropriate life-saving community-based support system,” said Laura Yanez, executive director of NAMI Western Nevada. “This is a win not only for our rural communities in Nevada, but for the state as we look to create a model for the future of behavioral health crisis response.”
The PRSS will be gathering outcome data that will be used to help evaluate the effectiveness of the program in rural Nevada. The learnings can then be applied by other law enforcement offices and departments statewide.
This grant is part of Molina’s latest $1.4 million commitment to community-based organizations and providers aimed at improving access to physical and behavioral health care in Nevada.
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 Nevada
Molina Healthcare of Nevada, Inc. provides government-funded health care to members in Clark and Washoe counties through Medicaid, Nevada Check Up, Medicare and Marketplace. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, provides managed health care services under the Medicaid and Medicare programs, and through state insurance marketplaces. For more information, visit MolinaHealthcare.com.
About NAMI Western Nevada
NAMI Western Nevada’s mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals, families and communities impacted by mental illness through education, support, advocacy and awareness. NAMI Western Nevada serves Carson City/County, Douglas County, Storey County, Lyon County, Esmerelda County, Humboldt County, Pershing County, Churchill County, Mineral County, Nye County, Lincoln County, and Lander County, Nevada.
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