GRAND Mental Health and The Oklahoma Caring Foundation Partner to Provide Access to Mental Health Care to Rural Oklahomans
GRAND Mental Health (GRAND) and The Oklahoma Caring Foundation (OCF), administered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma as an in-kind donation, are thrilled to announce a new partnership to provide access to quality mental health services to rural and underserved Oklahomans. The new partnership, which launched on April 1, features a co-branded Caring Van that will be coordinated and staffed by GRAND and administered by OCF.
The Grand Mental Health Caring Van provides free mental health support services, including mental health screenings, consultations, Medicaid application assistance, housing and job placement support, information and resources. The mobile clinic serves youth and adults in Craig, Delaware, Kay, Mayes, Osage, Ottawa, Payne, Pawnee, Tulsa, Noble, Nowata, Rogers and Washington counties.
“One of the biggest barriers to quality mental health care is access,” says Josh Cantwell, CEO of GRAND Mental Health. “It is our intention that, through this partnership, we will better connect people with valuable resources and services where and when they need them, changing lives and communities for the better.”
Since 2004, The Caring Van Program has provided more than 242,000 Oklahoma children with over 404,000 life-saving immunizations. The vans help make preventive health more accessible by eliminating the barriers of inconvenient clinic hours, transportation and cost.
“Barriers to access don’t contain themselves to just physical health,” said Brooke Townsend, Executive Director of the Caring Foundation. “Access to adequate and comprehensive mental health services is a need statewide. Our new collaboration with GRAND Mental Health will allow the Foundation to expand the services we offer Oklahomans aboard our Caring Vans, filling a gap in rural mental health care. We are excited about this new partnership and the opportunity to reach more Oklahomans where they are.