Giving Back to Our Communities

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 .

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.

Learn how Fidelis Care impacts the communities we are privileged to serve.

More News:

Fidelis Care Unity Events Bring Local Communities Together at Summer Street Festival Series

7/26/2022 • Posted by Fidelis Care in Corporate News, Health and Wellness

Unity-Events-for-New-York-State-NYS-Health-Insurance-Fidelis-Care

LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y. (July 26, 2022) – Fidelis Care, a New York State health plan with more than 2.5 million members, today announced the return of its signature “Unity” events this August and September, promoting community health and wellness and the importance of staying connected with friends and neighbors. A dozen Unity events, from Long Island to Buffalo, will each offer free and fun family activities including live music, face painting, health screenings, and special appearances by Fidelis Care’s popular dinosaur mascot, the Fidelisaurus.

Fidelis Care’s original Unity event, “Unity in the Heights,” started in 2011, featuring an exclusive partnership with the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and gathering over 1,500 people annually in Washington Heights in upper Manhattan. Since then, Unity events have expanded across the state with a variety of local partners, offering more New Yorkers the opportunity to enjoy family-friendly activities, meet friends and neighbors, and learn about health and wellness.

“Fidelis Care is proud of our unique Unity event series and the growth we’ve continued to see across New York State,” said Chief Member Engagement Officer Pam Hassen. “Having a grassroots presence and serving the needs of local residents in their neighborhoods and communities has always been the heart of our mission. We believe in the power of unity and connection to transform lives.”

"The Unity Summer Street Festivals are a great opportunity for people to have fun, meet their Neighborhood Coordination Officers, build bridges between the police and the community, and learn about ways to prioritize their health," added Inspector Maximo Tolentino, New York Police Department. "The NYPD is proud to partner with Fidelis Care on these Unity events, and we look forward to meeting everyone.”

"It’s wonderful to partner with Fidelis Care to bring our community together for a family-friendly event, focused on health, wellness, and safety,” added Minnie Torres, Food Pantry Coordinator at the Elder State Presbyterian Church in Schenectady, “Hosting Unity in Schenectady allows us to offer support and resources for so many people, while meeting their neighbors and having fun.”

Fidelis Care Unity events will be taking place in the following locations across New York State:

Event	Date	Address	Time
Unity in Buffalo	Saturday, Aug. 6	Coldspring Church 107 Verplanck Street Buffalo, NY	1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Unity in Schenectady	Friday, Aug. 26	State Street Office 5 Catherine Street, Schenectady, NY	4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Unity in the Heights	Saturday, Aug. 27	160^th Street between Broadway and Fort Washington Avenue	11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Unity in the Bronx	Saturday, Aug. 27	4125 Carpenter Ave, Bronx NY 10466	11a.m. – 5 p.m.
Unity in Rockland	Friday, Sept. 2	175 Route 59 Spring Valley, NY	11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Unity in Suffolk	Saturday, Sept. 3	Brentwood High School 52 Third Ave Brentwood NY	12 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Unity in Nassau	Saturday, Sept. 24	65 Dartmouth street Hempstead, NY	11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Unity in Queens	Sunday, Sept. 25	1674 Putnam Ave Ridgewood NY	12 p.m. – 6 p.m.

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 2.5 million members statewide, Fidelis Care believes that all New Yorkers should have access to affordable, quality health insurance. Follow us on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/fidelis-care, 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.