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Fidelis Care and the Centene Foundation Award $1.1 Million to The Jed Foundation to Protect the Mental Health of New York’s Youth

Funding will help expand emotional well-being resources, educational workshops, and training programs for community-based organizations that foster communities of care statewide

September 20, 2024, NEW YORK CITY —  Fidelis Care, a leading health insurer providing quality, affordable coverage to New Yorkers, and the Centene Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Centene Corporation, announced today a $1.1 million grant to The Jed Foundation (JED), a national nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for teens and young adults.

With this grant, JED will expand its current services, providing at least five youth-serving community-based organizations (CBOs) with consultation or strategic planning services, including expert guidance, educational workshops, and training programs, equipping young people with life skills and connecting them to mental health care when they are in distress.

“We are thrilled to support the vital work of The Jed Foundation with this grant,” said Vincent Marchello, Chief Medical Officer at Fidelis Care. “At Fidelis Care, we recognize the importance of mental health services in creating healthier communities. This investment underscores our commitment to ensuring youth and adolescents have access to the critical support they need to thrive.”

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), it is currently estimated that nearly one in five 12- to 17-year-olds in the United States experience a major depressive episode every year, and almost half of teens 13 to 17 say they would seek out professional help only as a last resort. In New York State, the need for enhanced mental health support for school-aged youth is critical: in 2021, 57% of New York 12- to 17-year-olds with depression had not received any care in the last year.

“JED is grateful to Fidelis Care and the Centene Foundation for their commitment to supporting the emotional well-being of New York youth and for providing the resources to help them thrive,” said John MacPhee, JED Chief Executive Officer. “This partnership will allow us to bring JED’s lifesaving work to community-based organizations across the state and help them build on their mental health safety nets and approaches, while positively impacting the lives of thousands of young people.”

The inaugural group of CBOs includes Bottom Line, an organization that partners with degree-aspiring students from first-generation and low-income backgrounds as they get into and through college and launch mobilizing first careers; Hetrick-Martin Institute, which provides free, year-round programs and services for LGBTQIA+ youth and allies aged 13 to 24 in New York City; and Prep for Prep, which provides first-rate educational, leadership development and professional advancement opportunities for young people of color in New York City.

"Through decades of experience at Bottom Line, we have seen that the condition of a student's mental health plays a significant role in their overall journey to becoming a college graduate and professional,” said Sheneita R. Graham, Director of Culturally Responsive Programming at Bottom Line. “Our role at Bottom Line is to build strong relationships that assist us in determining need and connecting students to resources that will help them thrive personally to persist academically. Partnering with The Jed Foundation grants us the opportunity to expertly assess our mental health policies, processes, and resources to ensure we provide our students with thoughtful, high-quality support."

"Hetrick-Martin Institute is pleased to be working with The Jed Foundation to improve our ability to recognize young people in distress and conduct suicide risk assessments," said Bridget Hughes, Chief Program Officer at Hetrick-Martin Institute.

"We are so grateful to The Jed Foundation for hosting two workshops for our incoming college freshmen as part of our annual College Transition Retreat,” said Corey Rhoades, Director of Undergraduate Affairs at Prep for Prep. “The presenters shared their expertise and tailored the sessions in a way that was uniquely relevant and engaging for our students."

To learn more about ways to provide community-based organizations with consulting, evidence-based best practices, and data-driven guidance to protect youth mental health and prevent suicide, visit JED’s website.

Fidelis-JED-Social


Screener Program Provides Support to Families Impacted by Social Determinants of Health

SDoH-chart

Fidelis Care’s innovative SDoH screener program was launched two years ago as a grassroots health equity initiative to address conditions in the environments where people are born, live, work, and play that affect their health, well-being, and quality of life. Social Determinants of Health can affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes – particularly among vulnerable populations and in underserved areas.

The screener enables trained Fidelis Care representatives to assess an individual’s immediate needs and challenges related to SDoH through a brief series of questions covering areas such as access to transportation, food, and secure and safe housing. More than 450,000 Fidelis Care members have participated to date.


Click 
here to learn more about the different Social Determinants of Health and find available resources.


More News:


Fidelis Care Offers Food Literacy Tips for National Nutrition Month
3/8/2022 • Posted by Fidelis Care in Corporate News, Health and Wellness

National-Nutrition-Month-Fidelis-Care-2022Long Island City, NY (March 8, 2022) – Fidelis Care is offering tips to help New Yorkers feel more knowledgeable about food and nutrition, especially for those who experience health disparities that affect their access to healthy food options. In recognition of National Nutrition Month this March, Fidelis Care encourages New York residents to make small changes and explore food habits that can help improve diet, nutrition literacy, and healthy outcomes.

To help improve diet behaviors and food choices, Fidelis Care encourages people to discover new food habits that will help promote nutrition literacy.


Here are a few tips that can help individuals and families make knowledgeable food choices all year round: 

  • Regularly read the ingredients contained in foods. It’s recommended to avoid eating the following ingredients too often: trans fats, excess added sugar or other sweeteners like corn syrup, artificial dyes, nitrates and nitrites found in preserved meats, artificial sweeteners, and other artificial preservatives.
  • Learn how to read a nutrition facts panel. This trusted label is required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on most packaged food and provides detailed nutritional information measured by serving size.
  • Try to use a grocery list to shop. This task helps shoppers stay intentional with healthy food choices.
  • Use guidelines when trying to estimate food portions. Search how to measure food portions without a scale and learn how to measure food portions using your hands or cups.
  • Stay confident while choosing different meals when dining out. Be menu savvy. Try new flavors and foods that have a twist of healthful ingredients.
  • Share meals together as a family when possible. Don’t forget to keep the household informed about new, healthy food choices and ideas, and any food literacy tips that arise.


“We want to help anyone struggling with poor nutritional habits to improve their health literacy,” said Fidelis Care Chief Medical Officer Vincent Marchello, MD. “There is significance in helping to improve one’s concept of health literacy into nutrition literacy, which may help for better nutritional decisions and health outcomes year-round.”

National Nutrition Month is an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The Academy encourages everyone to learn about making informed food choices and develop sound eating and physical activity habits that they can past along. 

Since 2016, Fidelis Care has offered healthy recipe options and tips for better nutrition to families through the Lunchology Program. Lunchology was developed to help families make good nutrition a priority. From breakfast and school lunch ideas to quick and healthy dinners and snacks, Lunchology recipes provide a helpful resource for parents and families.

For more information about Fidelis Care services and benefits, visit fideliscare.org

 


About Fidelis Care:
Fidelis Care is a mission-driven health plan offering quality, affordable coverage for children and adults of all ages and at all stages of life. With more than 2.4 million members statewide, Fidelis Care believes that all New Yorkers should have access to affordable, quality health insurance.  Follow us on Twitter at @fideliscare, Instagram at @fideliscare, and on Facebook at facebook.com/fideliscare. For more information, call Fidelis Care at 1-888-FIDELIS (1-888-343-3547) or visit fideliscare.org.


Fidelis Care Offers Food Literacy Tips for National Nutrition Month
3/8/2022 • Posted by Fidelis Care in Corporate News, Health and Wellness

National-Nutrition-Month-Fidelis-Care-2022Long Island City, NY (March 8, 2022) – Fidelis Care is offering tips to help New Yorkers feel more knowledgeable about food and nutrition, especially for those who experience health disparities that affect their access to healthy food options. In recognition of National Nutrition Month this March, Fidelis Care encourages New York residents to make small changes and explore food habits that can help improve diet, nutrition literacy, and healthy outcomes.

To help improve diet behaviors and food choices, Fidelis Care encourages people to discover new food habits that will help promote nutrition literacy.


Here are a few tips that can help individuals and families make knowledgeable food choices all year round: 

  • Regularly read the ingredients contained in foods. It’s recommended to avoid eating the following ingredients too often: trans fats, excess added sugar or other sweeteners like corn syrup, artificial dyes, nitrates and nitrites found in preserved meats, artificial sweeteners, and other artificial preservatives.
  • Learn how to read a nutrition facts panel. This trusted label is required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on most packaged food and provides detailed nutritional information measured by serving size.
  • Try to use a grocery list to shop. This task helps shoppers stay intentional with healthy food choices.
  • Use guidelines when trying to estimate food portions. Search how to measure food portions without a scale and learn how to measure food portions using your hands or cups.
  • Stay confident while choosing different meals when dining out. Be menu savvy. Try new flavors and foods that have a twist of healthful ingredients.
  • Share meals together as a family when possible. Don’t forget to keep the household informed about new, healthy food choices and ideas, and any food literacy tips that arise.


“We want to help anyone struggling with poor nutritional habits to improve their health literacy,” said Fidelis Care Chief Medical Officer Vincent Marchello, MD. “There is significance in helping to improve one’s concept of health literacy into nutrition literacy, which may help for better nutritional decisions and health outcomes year-round.”

National Nutrition Month is an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The Academy encourages everyone to learn about making informed food choices and develop sound eating and physical activity habits that they can past along. 

Since 2016, Fidelis Care has offered healthy recipe options and tips for better nutrition to families through the Lunchology Program. Lunchology was developed to help families make good nutrition a priority. From breakfast and school lunch ideas to quick and healthy dinners and snacks, Lunchology recipes provide a helpful resource for parents and families.

For more information about Fidelis Care services and benefits, visit fideliscare.org

 


About Fidelis Care:
Fidelis Care is a mission-driven health plan offering quality, affordable coverage for children and adults of all ages and at all stages of life. With more than 2.4 million members statewide, Fidelis Care believes that all New Yorkers should have access to affordable, quality health insurance.  Follow us on Twitter at @fideliscare, Instagram at @fideliscare, and on Facebook at facebook.com/fideliscare. For more information, call Fidelis Care at 1-888-FIDELIS (1-888-343-3547) or visit fideliscare.org.