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HCSC Addresses Youth Mental Health Crisis with Boys & Girls Clubs
Sep. 25, 2024
CHICAGO — Health Care Service Corporation is working to combat the youth mental health crisis by investing $800,000 over four years to help implement trauma-informed practices in Boys & Girls Clubs of America located in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
A portion of the funding is being used to train Club staffers to better support the emotional and mental well-being of children across America. The first cohort of newly trained Boys & Girls Clubs personnel is now implementing what they learned at their Clubs, with additional cohort trainings continuing through 2026.
“Increasing the availability of trauma-informed care, especially to sites where children already go for support, can more quickly get kids the help they need,” said Frank Webster, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Behavioral Health at HCSC. “We’re proud to work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to expand access to critically needed behavioral health support.”
Health Care Service Corporation joins their Association in its partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America on nationwide implementation of this program, which also includes programming and resources that build young people’s social-emotional development skills and equip them to navigate challenging experiences. So far, 35,385 youth have been served by Clubs in the program.
HCSC takes a holistic view to understand the emotional, physical, and mental aspects of a person’s health that can lead to a better overall quality of life. Our community investment support is just one of the ways we work to expand access to BH care. Through program benefits, we help members who need acute care or intensive case management for a serious mental illness, struggle with substance use, or simply need short-term help adjusting to a life event. We also have partnered with Headway since 2022, adding nearly 9,300 BH providers to our networks with a one-click booking experience.
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About Health Care Service Corporation
Health Care Service Corporation serves more than 23 million people across the United States through its portfolio of health benefit solutions. HCSC provides health coverage options for employers large and small, individuals and families, and Medicare and Medicaid plans. HCSC also offers related health care products and services such as pharmacy solutions, life and dental insurance, and health data technology.