Blue Shield of CA Pledges $20M to Support Behavioral Health Services

Blue Shield of California has announced a $20 million commitment to the California Access to Housing and Services fund in order to enhance behavioral health services. 

The fund, proposed by Governor Gavin Newsom in his 2020 to 2021 budget last week, aims to solve the state’s homelessness crisis and proposes reforms to Medi-Cal to incorporate both physician and behavioral health. 

“Addressing homelessness is a key step in ensuring health and wellness for individuals and families,” said Paul Markovich, president and CEO of Blue Shield of California. 

The nonprofit health plan was one of the first organizations to respond to the governor’s call for donations and various support services for Californians in need. It has also contributed over $100 million over the past three years to further efforts to end domestic violence and push California to become the healthiest state in the nation. 

“Our commitment to healthy families and healthy communities is at the core of our mission to transform our healthcare system into one that is worthy of our family and friends and sustainably affordable,” Markovich emphasized. “We look forward to working with the governor to improve the quality of life for Californians and encourage others in the private sector to step up.”

Governor Newsom praised Blue Shield’s leadership and action in this crisis, as he voiced that not one person or sector can solve this problem alone. 

“Just days after I announced the creation of the California Access to Housing and Services fund, Blue Shield responded immediately by investing $20 million to help individuals experiencing homelessness across California gain access to housing and health services,” Newsom highlighted “I hope that Blue Shield’s generosity and compassion will serve as a model for others to follow.” 

With health and wellness a top priority for the state of California, Blue Shield of California launched the multi-year, $10 million Blue Sky initiative to help support mental health for California students just last month. One in five students in the US has a serious mental health issue, but very few receive the help they need, according to the press release.

Along with the California Department of Education and nonprofit organizations including Wellness Together, National Alliance on Mental Illness, and DoSomething.org, the launch of Blue Sky will increase awareness, advocacy, and access to mental health resources for California students 

Blue Sky aims to enlist more mental health clinicians in schools for one-on-one therapy for students, train teachers on mental health signs to be aware of, and empower students with in-person and online mental health support resources. 

“Educators are on the front lines in recognizing Adverse Childhood Experiences as a public health crisis. Research shows that positive adult relationships, peer to peer support and mental health services are critical to helping young people heal. This collaboration is truly about the intersection of education and health,” explained Nadine Burke Harris, MD at Surgeon General of California.

There is an essential role that both mental and emotional health have on an individual’s overall wellbeing. This usually starts in childhood, and is continuously shaped by surrounding environment and general family life.  

“Our goal through Blue Shield of California BlueSky is to empower and support students by helping them develop resilience and emotional well-being today, so they have a lifetime of good health in front of them,” said Markovich.