Expanding youth mental health services for Rhode Island families

UnitedHealthcare is working with a community-based organization in Rhode Island to help improve the health of employees and their families.


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Many adults, teens and children around the country are struggling with an array of mental health issues. In fact, more than 1 in 4 employees have quit a job because of their mental health.And mental health issues can become worse if people don’t have adequate access to behavioral health care.

With the mission to help people live healthier lives and help make the health system work better for everyone, UnitedHealthcare has awarded $65,000 to a Rhode Island community organization called The Providence Center, which provides treatment and supportive services to adolescents and children affected by psychiatric illnesses, emotional problems and addictions.

The grant will be used to strengthen community-based mental health services by expanding the specialized “Emergency Services Program” for children.

This grant is part of a larger Empowering Health program, in which UnitedHealthcare has awarded a total of $11.1M to 66 nonprofits across 12 states. These grants aim to support people in underserved communities who are struggling withsocial determinants of health (SDOH), such as food insecurity, social isolation and behavioral health, among other issues.

When communities are healthier, everyone benefits — including employers.2 Grants like these are an investment in employers’ current and future workforces.

“UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to addressing social and economic factors that impact people’s ability to achieve and maintain good health,” says Olivia Jefferson, vice president of social responsibility at UnitedHealthcare.

“As a health care company, we see significant and ongoing inequities that exist in various communities across the country, particularly along racial lines. It’s imperative to collaborate with organizations, and the Empowering Health grants allows us drive positive change for the people we call friends, family and neighbors across the communities we serve. Our ultimate goal is to help people live healthier, happier lives.”

— Olivia Jefferson, Vice President of Social Responsibility, UnitedHealthcare

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