Member

Login to your account, make a payment, see benefits and more.

Members

Manage Your Plan

Helpful Tools

Wellcare By Fidelis Care

Members
Providers

Login to your account, download forms, view auth grids and more.

Providers

Provider Resources

About Our Plans

Helpful Tools

Providers
Shop For a Plan

See plan benefits, coverage areas, get a quote and more.

Shop for a Plan

Our Plans

Helpful Tools

Wellcare By Fidelis Care

Shop for a Plan
AAA
HomeMemberHelpful ToolsHealth ResourcesSocial Determinants of HealthGiving Back

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.

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:


Promoting Healthy Growth in Children: September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
9/18/2023 • Posted by Dr. Nicole Belanger-Reynolds, Medical Director in Children's Health, Health and Wellness

tray of food

September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. More than 14.7 million American children and adolescents have obesity — that's almost 20% of all children between the ages of 2 and 19 years. In New York State, an estimated 1 in 5 children have obesity.

Ethnic, socioeconomic, and environmental influences can affect rates of childhood obesity. It is important to understand that children with obesity are more likely to become obese adults, and develop life-threatening diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

The goal of Childhood Obesity Awareness Month is to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic through education, better food choices, changes in physical activity, and good lifestyle habits.

How do I know if my child is at a healthy weight?

  • Make a doctor’s appointment to ensure your child is growing in a healthy manner. Ask whether your child is at a healthy weight.

What should I do if my child is overweight or has obesity?

To slow down weight gain and allow for healthy growth, encourage healthy eating and physical activity. Families can follow the 5-2-1-0 rule as outlined below:

  • Rule 5: Children should have five or more servings of vegetables and fruits per day. Have everyone fill half their plates with fruits and vegetables by offering two or three colorful options at every meal. As a family, choose a new fruit and veggie every week to taste together. 
  • Rule 2: No more than two hours of screen time a day. Make a family plan to replace screen time with family time. Turn off screens during meals. Consider charging electronics in the kitchen overnight, and set a timer to remind you to limit screen time.
  • Rule 1: Get at least one hour of physical activity per day. Encourage children to participate in school/community sports programs and activities. Join your children in activities like walking the dog, dancing around your living room, or turning TV commercial breaks into family fitness breaks.
  • Rule 0: Zero sugary drinks. Make water the drink of choice. Place a full pitcher of water on the table during meals and allow children to pour their own water. Keep full water bottles available.

For more resources, visit:

References:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html

New York State Department of Health https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/obesity/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion https://health.gov/moveyourway/get-kids-active

U.S. Department of Agriculture WIC Works Resource System https://wicworks.fns.usda.gov/resources/national-childhood-obesity-month#:~:text=September%20is%20National%20Childhood%20Obesity%20Month%20(available%20in%20Spanish).


Promoting Healthy Growth in Children: September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
9/18/2023 • Posted by Dr. Nicole Belanger-Reynolds, Medical Director in Children's Health, Health and Wellness

tray of food

September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. More than 14.7 million American children and adolescents have obesity — that's almost 20% of all children between the ages of 2 and 19 years. In New York State, an estimated 1 in 5 children have obesity.

Ethnic, socioeconomic, and environmental influences can affect rates of childhood obesity. It is important to understand that children with obesity are more likely to become obese adults, and develop life-threatening diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

The goal of Childhood Obesity Awareness Month is to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic through education, better food choices, changes in physical activity, and good lifestyle habits.

How do I know if my child is at a healthy weight?

  • Make a doctor’s appointment to ensure your child is growing in a healthy manner. Ask whether your child is at a healthy weight.

What should I do if my child is overweight or has obesity?

To slow down weight gain and allow for healthy growth, encourage healthy eating and physical activity. Families can follow the 5-2-1-0 rule as outlined below:

  • Rule 5: Children should have five or more servings of vegetables and fruits per day. Have everyone fill half their plates with fruits and vegetables by offering two or three colorful options at every meal. As a family, choose a new fruit and veggie every week to taste together. 
  • Rule 2: No more than two hours of screen time a day. Make a family plan to replace screen time with family time. Turn off screens during meals. Consider charging electronics in the kitchen overnight, and set a timer to remind you to limit screen time.
  • Rule 1: Get at least one hour of physical activity per day. Encourage children to participate in school/community sports programs and activities. Join your children in activities like walking the dog, dancing around your living room, or turning TV commercial breaks into family fitness breaks.
  • Rule 0: Zero sugary drinks. Make water the drink of choice. Place a full pitcher of water on the table during meals and allow children to pour their own water. Keep full water bottles available.

For more resources, visit:

References:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html

New York State Department of Health https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/obesity/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion https://health.gov/moveyourway/get-kids-active

U.S. Department of Agriculture WIC Works Resource System https://wicworks.fns.usda.gov/resources/national-childhood-obesity-month#:~:text=September%20is%20National%20Childhood%20Obesity%20Month%20(available%20in%20Spanish).