UnitedHealth Group Commits $2M to Improve Health Equity for LGBTQ+ Youth

UnitedHealth Group’s philanthropic group, the United Health Foundation, has committed $2 million to help improve health equity and boost access to mental healthcare for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth in Minnesota.

The three-year grant partnership will support Rainbow Health, a nonprofit that serves the LGBTQ+ community, people living with HIV, and individuals facing care disparities in Minnesota. The organization aims to facilitate equitable healthcare access for gender, sexual, and racial minorities across the state.

The funding from United Health Foundation will connect more than 250 people to mental healthcare and substance use services. The initiative also aims to improve access to social determinants of health services, such as health insurance, transportation assistance, and transitional housing.

“We believe every person deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life, and we are determined to do our part to break down the barriers to equitable health care, wherever they exist,” Margaret-Mary Wilson, MD, executive vice president and chief medical officer of UnitedHealth Group, said in the press release. “This grant underscores our commitment to advancing health equity and improving health outcomes by increasing access to mental healthcare for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC youth in the Twin Cities.”

LGBTQ+ and BIPOC youth tend to face high rates of mental health issues.

For example, a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that LGBQ+ youth—the report did not include data from transgender individuals—experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness during the past year, and nearly 25 percent of this population attempted suicide.

The CDC report also found that the share of adolescents across every racial and ethnic group who felt persistently sad or hopeless grew over the past ten years. The highest rates were among Hispanic, American Indian or Alaska Native, White, and multiracial individuals. Black youth were more likely to attempt suicide compared to their Asian, Hispanic, and White counterparts.

“At a time when LGBTQ+ youth are increasingly at risk across the country, now more than ever, affirming and accessible mental healthcare is essential,” Jeremy Hanson Willis, chief executive officer of Rainbow Health, said.

“We are so grateful for partners like the United Health Foundation for stepping up to support this life-saving work and make a meaningful impact on reducing health disparities. Together we are fighting for a community where every child is important, valued, and supported to be their authentic selves.”

In Rainbow Health’s 2021 Voices of Health Survey, four in five LGBTQ+ respondents across all ages said they were experiencing moderate to severe mental distress. Additionally, 23 percent of LGBTQ+ respondents noted they had needed to see a doctor in the past year but did not for fear of being disrespected or mistreated as an LGBTQ+ person.

As the LGBTQ+ community continuously faces barriers to care, health plans have aimed to eliminate some of these challenges and promote access to physical and mental healthcare.

In November 2022, CareSource provided $1 million to a nonprofit senior living organization in Ohio to fund the creation of a residential community designed for LGBTQA+ individuals and allies. The project aims to address the discrimination and social determinants of health barriers that LGBTQ+ seniors face when seeking housing.

At the beginning of the year, Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care announced a collaboration with a digital platform that will give members access to integrated LGBTQ+ care, including gender-affirming physical and mental healthcare, behavioral health services, and social support groups.

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island helps members identify LGBTQ-inclusive care sites with its LGBTQ Safe Zone certification program. The payer recently recognized ten more healthcare sites that protect patients and staff from discrimination based on gender identity and expression, offer staff training on LGBTQ+ care, and provide inclusive forms and procedures.