DENVER — Funding from Cigna (NYSE: CI) will enable 9Health to expand mental health screenings and no-cost counseling to Colorado residents who need mental health care but cannot afford it.
9Health is a 40-year-old non-profit that makes mental and physical health prevention accessible for all Coloradans regardless of ability to pay.
“We are grateful to Cigna for their support to expand mental health screenings, education and counseling so that it is available to everyone in Colorado who needs it and, in essence, providing a mental health safety net for Colorado,” said Gary Drews, 9Health President and CEO.
In Colorado, one in four adults struggle with mental health issues every year, and poor mental health is a widespread problem in Colorado, especially among women, Hispanics and middle-aged people. Further, many rural communities throughout Colorado experience a lack of healthcare overall and this includes access to mental and behavioral health services. Many Coloradans are often blocked from getting treatment by cost, fears about social perceptions, stigma and difficulty scheduling appointments.
“It’s absolutely essential that all Coloradans have access to quality mental health care that’s affordable,” said John Roble, president of Cigna Mountain States. “Many people neglect their mental health due to a variety of barriers, including shame, stigma and cost. By working together with community organizations like 9Health, Cigna aims to help break down those barriers so that Coloradans can be healthy in both body and mind.”
9Health and Cigna will collaborate to create an innovative model that capitalizes on 9Health’s deep roots in the community and hundreds of mental health professionals who volunteer their time.
Cigna funding will help 9Health provide Coloradans in need of approachable, low-barrier, on-demand mental and behavioral health screenings and services through equitable access, both virtually and on the ground. With Cigna's financial support, 9Health will make the mental health screenings and free counseling available to more Coloradans in need and develop the technical and programmatic foundation to extend these services.
9Health has a trusted, long-standing reputation for affordable, low-barrier preventive health education, screening and tools in Colorado. Since its inception in 1980, 9Health has impacted over 2 million lives across the state.
For more information, go to 9HealthFair.org.
About 9Health
9Health, a Colorado not-for-profit, has impacted over 2 million people in its 40-year history with health and wellness tools such as preventive health screenings, evidence-based, objective health education and eTools and resources for every day in your health journey.
Headquartered in Denver, its mission is to raise health awareness and provide people with the tools they need to take responsibility for their health. The largest volunteer-driven, non-profit effort in the nation holds unique endorsements from the Colorado Medical Society, the Colorado Nurses Association and the Colorado Hospital Association.
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