Highmark WV Charitable Fund for Health seeks behavioral health and mental health program applications
March 8, 2023 | Parkersburg, W.Va.
Parkersburg, W.Va. (March 8, 2023) — Officials from the Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health today announced it is accepting grant proposals for West Virginia-based programs and initiatives that address Behavioral Health (BH) and mental health programs and initiatives. The Request for Proposals (RFP) is open to health, community and social service organizations that are based in West Virginia. The deadline to apply is April 14, 2023.
The Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health will award a total of $500,000 dollars in grant funding to individual West Virginia-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations up to $100,000 each that address gaps in access to BH and mental health care for West Virginians. Financial hurdles, stigma, barriers, and lack of treatment and providers are some gaps that individuals may find when seeking behavioral and mental health care. According to Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health Executive Director Cathy McAlister, West Virginians consistently rate among states with the highest percentage of residents experiencing conditions such as depression and anxiety, so the need is critical for early detection, treatment and prevention.
"This new behavioral health and mental health RFP addresses a tremendous need for both youth and adults alike, especially in West Virginia," said McAlister. "With nearly 50 percent of individuals experiencing a behavioral health condition at some point in their lifetime, this type of care is essential to our health and well-being. We are grateful to lend our support to organizations that are bridging the gap to providing this much-needed care in West Virginia."
This is the fourth RFP the Charitable Fund has offered within its first two years since it began in 2021. The Charitable Fund has awarded more than $3 million in grants to more than 60 organizations that implement programs that address Social Determinants of Health (SDoH), Oral Health, Dental Care, Substance Use Disorder and Family Health.
The Behavioral Health RFP is available at http://highmarkwvfund.versaic.com. Interested non-profit organizations must apply by Friday, April 14, 2023 and grantees will be announced June 2023.
About Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund
The Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health is a controlled fund of the Highmark Foundation. The Charitable Fund for Health‘s mission is to improve the health, well-being and quality of life for individuals who reside in all 55 counties in West Virginia. The Highmark WV Charitable Fund for Health strives to support programs that impact multiple counties and work collaboratively to leverage additional funding to achieve replicable models. For more information, visit www.highmarkfoundation.org.
About the Highmark Foundation
The Highmark Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) private, charitable organization dedicated to improving the health, wellbeing, and quality of life for individuals who reside in the communities served by Highmark, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. We fulfill our missing by awarding high-impact grants to charitable organizations that implement evidence-based programs aimed at improving community health. Central to the Foundation’s mission is identifying and continuously reevaluating our region’s prevailing health care needs. By doing so, the Foundation remains at the forefront of those needs, well-equipped to pinpoint the issues that more urgently need support.
In 2021, two new restricted funds were established at the Highmark Foundation — the Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health and the United Concordia Dental Charitable Fund. These funds support the ongoing work of the Highmark Foundation across its footprint and beyond. For more information, visit www.highmarkfoundation.org.
Contact:
Bethany Ross
Highmark Health
304-347-7698
Bethany.ross@highmarkhealth.org