Cambia Health Foundation surpasses $1 million invested to strengthen behavioral health care workforce

$510,000 in new grant funding will reduce workforce shortages and increase diversity

PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cambia Health Foundation announced $510,000 in new grant funding that aims to strengthen the behavioral health care workforce in Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington. This funding marks more than $1 million invested in the past year toward relieving the strain on the region's health care workforce. In addition to this new round of funding, previous Foundation investments include $300,000 invested in regional organizations that run the 988 suicide and crisis prevention lifelines and $570,000 invested to address behavioral health care workforce shortages.

"There are simply not enough professionals who can meet the increased demand for behavioral health services, and providers are burning out," said Peggy Maguire, president of Cambia Health Foundation. "We're approaching support for the workforce in non-traditional ways alongside our grantees. It's a complex problem that won't be solved overnight, but we feel hopeful and inspired by the work of our community partners."

With this funding, each grantee addresses the issue differently. "In our society, we tend to have a narrow view of what it means to receive behavioral health care," Maguire said. "This includes a one-on-one appointment between a patient and highly credentialed professional. We're finding that there will never be enough providers to meet the need unless we expand this thinking." Examples of unique solutions from community partners include the launch of a groundbreaking community program center; creating pathways for hiring and training individuals with H-1B visas, green cards and other highly stigmatized groups within the U.S. workforce system; the development of micro-credentialing programs and more.

Cambia Health Foundation is pleased to invest $510,000 among the following organizations:

• Crisis Connections (Washington)
• Daisy C.H.A.I.N. (Oregon)
• Family Health Services Corporation (Idaho)
• Moab Free Clinic (Utah)
• North Central Accountable Community of Health (Washington)
• Raices de Bienestar (Oregon)
• Sound Generations (Washington)
• Southern Oregon University Foundation (Oregon)
• Tubman Center for Health & Freedom (Washington)
• Utah Center for Rural Health (Utah)
• Virginia Garcia Memorial Foundation (Oregon)
• Youth Eastside Services (Washington)

The 12 organizations approach this complex issue in bold and distinct ways, with programs and services working toward one or more of the following solutions:

• Reducing behavioral health provider shortages in Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington
• Increasing the number of providers trained in integrated and collaborative care models
• Increasing diversity within the health care workforce
• Reducing rates of disparities in anxiety, depression, tobacco use, obesity and hypertension for both the paid and unpaid health care workforce

Grant recipients were selected through the Foundation's request for proposal process launched earlier this year. The Foundation's Health Care Workforce program focuses on removing barriers that contribute to behavioral health workforce shortages and is part of a larger vision to advance equity through whole-person health.

About Cambia Health Foundation
Cambia Health Foundation is the corporate foundation of Cambia Health Solutions. Founded in 2007, the foundation has funded over $110 million in grants to advance patient- and family-centered care for all. We purposefully invest in ideas that expand access to behavioral health care to advance equity through whole-person health.

SOURCE Cambia Health Foundation