Health equity is achieved when everyone has a fair opportunity to be as healthy as possible. At Blue Cross NC, we’re hard at work trying to make this vision a reality. We strive to help all North Carolinians that existing systems have not served. Part of this work involves collaborating with the organizations that best understand our communities’ needs and how to fulfil them. We are proud to support organizations that are working in these communities to create culturally relevant solutions for better and more equitable access to health care and other needs.
In 2021, we developed three funding initiatives for organizations that are led by and primarily serve people of color, rural and underserved communities. In February 2022, we announced the recipients of $2 million in funding to address maternal and infant health disparities and $1 million for Strengthen NC, a two-year capacity building program. We have also committed $1 million for initiatives that expand behavioral health care access in rural and underserved communities. Our goals for behavioral health and maternal and infant health are part of our company's diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, set by our DEI Council.
Strengthen NC
Strengthen NC is a two-year program designed to help 10 organizations build capacity – that is, fortify the skills, processes and resources that enable them to carry out their missions – and make their work sustainable for the future. Strengthen NC is designed to be a true partnership grounded in co-design, so that the organizations have the opportunity to help create program elements that are best suited for them along the way. Our program offers organizations flexible funding, peer mentoring, network building, technical assistance, training and more. We work with leaders at these organizations, inviting them to tell us what is most needed for them to carry out their missions. Then we help them make it happen.
Maternal and Infant Health
Our goal is to reduce North Carolina’s racial disparities in maternal and infant health care by 50% in five years. As of 2020, our state has 6.9 infant deaths per 1,000 live births. In North Carolina, the rate of Black infant mortality in the first year is 85% higher than the overall rate (12.8 vs. 6.9)1, and Black birthing people die at more than twice the rate of all birthing people.2 And according to the CDC, 60% of maternal deaths in the U.S. are preventable.3 We are investing in seven organizations dedicated to improving maternal and infant health outcomes in Black, Hispanic and American Indian communities. more...
Our chosen organizations are closely connected with these communities and are well-positioned to prevent these deaths and ensure that every baby and birthing person has what they need. They will:
- Address non-medical drivers of health (such as food security, transportation and affordable housing) for birthing people
- Increase access to specially trained nurses, breastfeeding education and diverse lactation consultants and doulas
- Improve the quality and spectrum of care for birthing people and their babies
- Educate providers on racial bias and its implications on health outcomes for birthing people and their babies
Behavioral Health RFP
North Carolina’s behavioral health crisis has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. With social isolation and financial struggles compounding existing issues, more people than ever are being diagnosed with depression, anxiety and other mental and behavioral health disorders – and many mental health needs are going unmet. We know that if we collaborate with organizations that can address these gaps, we can help North Carolinians access the care they need for better outcomes and better health. more...
Out of our state’s 100 counties, 94 are considered mental health professional shortage areas4 and 61 have no child and adolescent psychiatrist.5 When a person has to wait too long to receive a diagnosis and treatment, the person’s illness can become more severe, and they could have a crisis or emergency. And even when care is available, implicit bias from providers can be traumatic for people of color and lead them to avoid seeking behavioral health care. African American, Hispanic and Asian American people are less likely to receive a diagnosis of depression from a health care provider when compared to non-Hispanic White people.6
Our goal is to improve access to behavioral health care in rural and underserved communities in North Carolina by 25% in five years. in March 2022, we awarded $1.54 million to East Carolina University to provide telepsychiatry services over the next five years at Elizabeth City State University, enabling students to access timely behavioral health care on campus during a time of surging mental health concerns at colleges. As of April 2022, we are evaluating funding proposals for community-based initiatives that improve access to high-quality, evidence-based treatment for adults and children with behavioral health disorders in these communities.
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