Anthem Grants $150K to Support Substance Use Disorder Services

The Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation (Anthem) has provided a three-year grant to the Chris Atwood Foundation to help increase access to stable housing for individuals with substance use disorders.

“Substance use disorder is a major public health challenge that affects not only the health of individuals, but entire communities,” Anne Fedyszen, MD, behavioral health medical director at Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, said in the press release.

“Virginia, like many states, is seeing an increased number of fatal overdoses each year. As part of our mission to improve lives and communities, we are proud to support the Chris Atwood Foundation in its efforts.”

The Chris Atwood Foundation offers free recovery support services, resources, and education to individuals with substance use disorder in Northern Virginia and Washington, DC. The Atwood family created the foundation in 2013 after their son and brother Chris died from an accidental overdose when he was 21.

Anthem is furnishing $150,000 to support the Chris Atwood Foundation’s Revive to Thrive program and help the organization offer housing and support services for up to 300 individuals.

Specifically, the grant will help individuals transition from substance use disorder treatment, incarceration, or other high-risk settings to a safe housing environment.

“All too often people get out of treatment or jail alone with nothing to their name, no next steps, and nowhere safe to go,” Ginny Atwood-Lovitt, Chris’ sister and executive director of the Christ Atwood Foundation, said. “They are forced to go right back into the unhealthy environment they were in during active addiction. Providing funding for a seamless linkage to safe housing is a game-changer in their recovery journey and no doubt saves many lives from the kind of tragedy my family experienced.”

Access to stable housing can be critical to maintaining recovery for newly sober individuals and those who were recently released from treatment or incarceration.

The Chris Atwood Foundation provides housing scholarships for eligible individuals every quarter. The scholarships cover the move-in deposit and first two weeks of rent for recipients at a recovery home in the area.

The organization encourages scholarship recipients to enroll in the peer support program, in which certified specialists can help with recovery planning, overdose reversal kits, basic housing supplies, transportation, and employment.

The Anthem grant is part of the Elevance Health Foundation’s (formerly Anthem Foundation) commitment to provide $13 million in grants to support substance use disorder programs and increase access to mental healthcare in 2022.

The Chris Atwood Foundation is one of 15 organizations that will receive funding from the Elevance Health Foundation.

Over the next three years, the payer plans to invest up to $30 million in programs and organizations focusing on substance use disorder treatment and mental health.

The grant announcement for the Chris Atwood Foundation comes shortly after International Overdose Awareness Day, which was August 31. The event aims to reduce the stigma around drug-related deaths and raise awareness that overdose death is avoidable.

“Overdose is the number one cause of accidental death in the United States,” Atwood-Lovitt added. “It’s also completely preventable. If we set judgments aside and support organizations that provide low-barrier, evidence-based care we can turn this crisis around. We’re so grateful to Anthem for helping to do that.”

In addition to funding local organizations, payers can make policy changes that may help address substance use disorders.

For example, payers could include coverage for harm reduction services, which can be an essential component of substance use disorder care for people with co-occurring mental health conditions.

Enrollment assistance programs may also help provide healthcare coverage for people with substance use disorders who have recently left the justice system.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (Florida Blue) previously partnered with a nonprofit organization to increase member access to substance abuse care through an online platform.