Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Kentucky has selected Motivo to receive a grant to help communities throughout Kentucky increase access to mental health and substance use disorder counseling services
ATLANTA, July 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Motivo announced today that it has been selected by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Kentucky to receive a grant that will be used to expand access to counseling services throughout Kentucky. With this funding, and in collaboration with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Motivo will increase the number of licensed clinical behavioral health counselors available to Kentuckians who are experiencing mental health or substance use disorders.
"We're so proud to be collaborating with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Kentucky to work towards this shared goal of better serving areas that need access to counseling services," said Rachel McCrickard, Founder and CEO of Motivo. "The grant enables behavioral health organizations throughout Kentucky to leverage virtual supervision to increase the number of licensed providers in their area."
All pre-licensed therapists have mandatory supervision hours they need to complete for licensure, and a crucial part of that process is having the right supervisor. Often, therapists only have access to a very limited pool of supervisors to choose from and it is not uncommon for aspiring therapists to drive hours each way to the nearest supervisor.
"Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield continues to find innovative solutions and partnerships to enhance the mental health provider workforce across the Commonwealth that will positively impact our communities," said Leon Lamoreaux, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield's Medicaid President in Kentucky. "Rural and underserved areas are disproportionally effected by the ongoing mental health and substance use crisis and it's through this grant that we will be able to accelerate licensure for aspiring mental health practitioners where shortages are most prevalent."
In Kentucky, data from Anthem's State of the Nation's Mental Health report shows significantly fewer mental health diagnoses last year, particularly among children and adolescents, compared to 2019. While diagnoses and treatment for mental health concerns among Kentucky's adults grew slightly in 2020 compared to 2019, overall mental health diagnoses for children fell seven percent over the same period. Diagnoses for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children fell six percent. These findings are part of a report based on Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield claims from 1.9 million Kentuckians, show a pandemic disconnect between kids feeling stressed and depressed and being diagnosed and seeking treatment.
Particularly for rural areas, barriers to clinical oversight poses an enormous challenge for communities and often leads to a shortage of licensed providers. Through this collaboration, Anthem and Motivo will increase the number of qualified licensed clinicians in underserved areas of Kentucky. Motivo will distribute funding by partnering with behavioral health organizations directly serving their communities throughout the state, ensuring that all underserved areas are reached.
About Motivo
Motivo is the first HIPAA-compliant platform that connects therapists to clinical supervisors, in a completely virtual environment. Learn more by visiting: https://motivohealth.com/
About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Kentucky
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of Anthem Health Plans of Kentucky, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Kentucky is available at www.anthem.com. Also, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/anthemBCBS and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AnthemBlueCrossBlueShield.
SOURCE Motivo
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