Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield announces $5.9 million for youth behavioral health

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas is donating more than $5.9 million to five Arkansas organizations to address child and adolescent mental health, suicide and substance abuse issues.

Two of those donations will go to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. One, a $1,610,477 grant over four years, will go to UAMS’ Pathways to Wellness Program. It will fund two programs previously funded by the foundation. The grant will expand the Trauma Resource Initiative for Schools, which helps school personnel recognize and respond to trauma suffered by students. It also will expand services offered through AR ConnectNow, a youth and school-focused marketing campaign. The grant will create a virtual wellness welcome center offering mental health resources.

Another grant going to UAMS, this one totaling $714,809 over two years, will go to the Adolescent and Young Adult Addiction Treatment Program. It will help the program offer treatment and prevention programs for young people and engage parents during recovery.

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield announces $5.9 million for youth behavioral health

Blue Cross Blue Shield CEO on Mask Restrictions, Vaccine Hesitancy, and Behavioral Health

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield CEO Curtis Barnett said the state’s largest health insurance company is supportive of the governor’s new call for a COVID-19 pandemic emergency and a special session to loosen mask-wearing restrictions in public schools.

“We’re very supportive of what the governor outlined this week. I think what it does, it puts our priority clearly where it needs to be, which is on our children,” Barnett said in a Talk Business & Politics interview.

On Thursday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson declared a new pandemic emergency as the Delta variant of COVID-19 has spiked cases across the state. Hutchinson also said he would ask lawmakers in a special session to address a new law prohibiting mask mandates. He wants to loosen the restriction to allow local school boards to make a decision on the issue with regards to children under the age of 12, who do not qualify for a vaccine.

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/08/blue-cross-blue-shield-ceo-on-mask-restrictions-vaccine-hesitancy-and-behavioral-health/

Talk Business & Politics

‘Vaccinate The Natural State’ Coalition Forms

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

A coalition led by Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield will attempt to educate Arkansans about the COVID-19 vaccine and ask employers to take a pledge that they will “strongly encourage” their employees to be vaccinated.

The “Vaccinate The Natural State” initiative (www.VaccinateTheNaturalState.com) was announced at a press conference Feb. 22 led by Curtis Barnett, Blue Cross president and CEO.

Partners include the Arkansas Department of Health, Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care, the Arkansas Minority Health Commission, the Northwest Arkansas Council, UAMS and Walmart.

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/02/vaccinate-the-natural-state-coalition-forms/