To expand access to mental health services and reduce stigma across Arizona, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Foundation for Community & Health Advancement awarded over $1.2 million in its latest Mental Health Matters grant cycle.
The award will help 11 organizations tackling:
- Mental health crises
- Suicide prevention
- Substance use disorders
- Youth mental health
This funding will help organizations like Project Willow Rebloom that is opening the nation’s first inpatient psychiatric unit for Arizona mothers and babies experiencing severe Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs).
“Arizona is facing a growing crisis in maternal mental health,” said Diane Ortega, Administrative Director & Co-Founder of the Willow Midwife Centers for Birth and Wellness AZ. “The Willow Rebloom Mother-Baby Unit will address the urgent need for comprehensive perinatal mental health care.”
There is a 44% increase in pregnancy-related deaths within Arizona, with maternal mental health as the leading cause. Alarmingly, 90% of these deaths were preventable. The Willow Rebloom Mother-Baby Unit will provide critical, accessible care for these underserved populations.
The 11 grant recipients include:
For more information on the Foundation’s Mental Health Matters grant and the organizations supports, please visit: https://www.azbluefoundation.org/grants/grantees