Humana Foundation and GLI launch program to help mental health services providers

Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, Louisville Courier Journal
·2 min read

Humana Foundation in partnership with Greater Louisville Inc., has launched a program to award grants to small business mental health and address the lack of mental health resources in the city, a release from the foundation said.

The program is part of the Humana Foundation's mission to expand mental health resources, and with it, they hope to award grants for providers to increase their services and operations to help victims of trauma.

“Mental health directly impacts our workforce and therefore the vitality of our regional economy. GLI and the more than 1,800 businesses we represent appreciate the Humana Foundation’s investment in the immediate and future well-being of our entire community,” Sarah Davasher-Wisdom, president and CEO of Greater Louisville Inc., said.

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The Humana Foundation invested $1 million in April to support mental health resources in Louisville following the mass shooting at Old National Bank. The foundation previously said the money would help the victims, their families and anybody affected by the trauma from the event and from years past.

"The Humana Foundation is contributing $300,000 and matching up to $300,000 more in corporate and individual donations," the release said.

The program will award one-year grants between $50,000 and $100,000 to help providers expand their services, according to their release. The organizations will give priority to psychologists, psychiatrists and youth counselors, which are in "dire shortage," and providers serving "diverse and underserved populations," the release said.

"We’re acting quickly to improve mental health quality and outcomes in the short-term, while continuing our focus on addressing access and stigma issues in the long-term. We hope this effort will help to heal and strengthen our community, while addressing a very real and urgent crisis," Tiffany Benjamin, the CEO of the Humana Foundation, said in a release.

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Reach Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez at abrinez@gannett.com; follow her on Twitter at @SoyAnaAlvarez.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: New program will give grants to small business mental health providers