Blue & You Foundation Gives $5.3M to Behavioral Health Programs

Curtis Barnett

The Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas said Friday that it is giving $5.29 million in grants for behavioral health programs in Arkansas.

This money will go to eight programs led by six organizations to address what the foundation called a “growing behavioral health crisis” in Arkansas.

The grants support programs that address behavioral health needs at all stages of life and increase the number of behavioral health professionals.

“We believe that addressing the behavioral health care needs of our state requires collaboration with local organizations that have demonstrated success in increasing access, improving outcomes and reducing stigma,” Arkansas Blue Cross President and CEO Curtis Barnett said in a news release. 

“We recognize the impact behavioral health can have on the health of individuals, families, and communities as a whole,” he said. “With these investments, we can help create healthier communities and give hope to those in need, while normalizing the conversation around behavioral health.”

The programs selected for the grants are:

• Arkansas Children’s, which will receive $1.5 million to integrate its HealthySteps program in pediatric primary care facilities in Arkansas.
• The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, which will receive $1.95 million to expand The Trauma Resource Initiative for Schools and AR-Connect programs. 
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Endowments, which will get money to expand the behavioral health workforce. A total of $1.735 million will go to three universities to support their Master of Social Work programs to train LCSWs in primary care settings: Arkansas State University, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The universities will receive additional money to support start-up and administrative costs.
• The Arkansas Chapter of The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI Arkansas), which will receive $105,000 to support programs for people with mental health conditions.

The Blue & You Foundation is a charitable foundation established and funded by Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield to promote better health in Arkansas.