United Health Foundation Donates $500,000 to Support Behavioral Health Needs of Colorado Residents Amid COVID-19 Emergency

Funding will support Colorado Community Health Network’s efforts to maintain behavioral health services and staffing and expand telehealth capacity

MINNETONKA, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The United Health Foundation has donated $500,000 to the Colorado Community Health Network (CCHN) to address the behavioral health needs of Colorado residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding will support behavioral health clinician staffing, outreach to vulnerable patients and expanded access to telehealth platforms to ensure the continuity of behavioral health care through CCHN’s member Community Health Centers. The effort is part of UnitedHealth Group’s (NYSE: UNH) initial $70 million commitment to fight COVID-19 and support impacted communities.

“The behavioral health impacts of this pandemic are becoming apparent and it is essential that front-line providers like Federally Qualified Health Centers have the staff, resources and technology they need to ensure both the health and well-being of their patients,” said Patrick Gordon, president and chief executive officer, Rocky Mountain Health Plans and UnitedHealthcare Community & State Colorado. “Our partnership with the Colorado Community Health Network will help sustain and expand much-needed behavioral health capacity to help Coloradans better cope with the mental and behavioral health impacts of COVID-19.”

The $500,000 donation to the Colorado Community Health Network will support its 21 member federally qualified Community Health Centers in Colorado, the state’s largest primary health care network. As significant providers of behavioral health services throughout Colorado, the Community Health Centers will conduct outreach to patients with ongoing mental health and substance use disorder conditions, care for patients with depression, anxiety and PTSD related to or exacerbated by COVID-19, and expand capabilities for behavioral health services via telephone and televideo.

“Mental and behavioral health impacts can outlast the physical health effects of COVID-19,” said Polly Anderson, vice president of strategy and financing, Colorado Community Health Network. “We are seeing an increase in behavioral health needs as the pandemic continues and the United Health Foundation’s support will enable our members to provide critical services to those in need.”

UnitedHealth Group has committed an initial $70 million to fight COVID-19 and support impacted communities including health care workers, hard-hit states and localities, seniors and those experiencing homelessness and food insecurity.

About UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health care company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and helping to make the health system work better for everyone. UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through two distinct platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which provides health care coverage and benefits services; and Optum, which provides information and technology-enabled health services. For more information, visit UnitedHealth Group at www.unitedhealthgroup.com or follow @UnitedHealthGrp on Twitter.