In the News

The Elevance Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Elevance Health Inc., announced the expansion of its substance use disorder grants through an additional $5.7 million in awards. Each grant will address substance use disorder, focusing on at least one of the following themes: access to care, quality of treatment, and youth prevention and early intervention. This second phase of grants is a part of the $30 million the Foundation plans to invest through 2024 to make significant progress in addressing the mental health and well-being in our communities, with an emphasis on substance use disorders. This round of grants brings the total awarded so far to more than $19.5 million.

One in three adults in the U.S. report having either a substance use disorder or mental illness in the past year, and 13.5% of young adults aged 18 to 25 report having both a substance use disorder and mental illness. Defined as a mental disorder, substance use disorder affects a person’s brain and behavior, leading to the inability to control the use of substances such as legal or illegal drugs, alcohol, and medications.

“Substance use disorder continues to be a public health challenge that’s taking too big of a toll in our communities,” said Shantanu Agrawal, M.D., Chief Health Officer at Elevance Health. “Half of those who have a substance use disorder will experience a co-occurring mental disorder, and vice versa. This next phase of grantees will address an array of care and service options – including crisis response and intervention, community resources, recovery supports and more – while driving specific, measurable outcomes that will ultimately strengthen our communities and advance health equity.”

The new substance use disorder grantees join 15 organizations awarded last year. So far, the first phase grantees have reached more than 161,000 people with prevention and early intervention efforts, in addition to the 1,170 people reached with treatment and community or long-term support.

Youth First received funding from the first phase of substance use disorder grants and works to strengthen youth and families by providing evidence-based programs that promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and maximize success. “Through this funding, more than 1,000 students in Indiana with family history of substance use disorder are receiving mental health prevention and early intervention support,” said Parri Black, President and CEO of Youth First. “This is 32% of our entire caseload, a rate that has held steady since our work has started. Heading into our second year of this program, we know these numbers will continue to rise, reaching more students who need this type of support.”

Twenty organizations will receive more than $5.7 million through 2024.

Second Phase Grants: Substance Use Disorders

• American Academy of Pediatrics
• California Health Collaborative
• Communities in Schools of Appalachian Highlands
• Community Access
• Downtown Women’s Center
• The Extension Inc.
• GMHC
• Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services
• Good Shepherd Gracenter
• Governor’s Partnership to Protects Connecticut’s Workforce
• Heartland High School
• Homeboy Industries
• LA Family Housing
• Mental Health Association in Indiana
• Nexus Recovery Center
• Partnership to End Addiction
• Saint Joseph’s Mercy Care Services Inc.
• Virginia Association of Free & Charitable Clinics
• Volunteers of America Mid-States
• Wellness Council of Indiana

The Elevance Health Foundation is awarding grants to programs that focus on one of the following goals: prevention of and early intervention in risk factors that lead to substance use disorders, improved access to and quality of treatment to reduce morbidity and mortality of substance use disorders, and community support to promote lifelong recovery.

These grants are part of up to $30 million the Foundation plans to invest over the next three years to make significant progress toward reducing substance use disorders and their health impacts. For more than 20 years, the Elevance Health Foundation—formerly the Anthem Foundation—has supported nonprofits across the country that share its mission to improve lives and communities. With one in five Americans experiencing some type of mental health condition every year, the Foundation has made combating substance use disorder a key area of focus, along with improving maternal health, promoting the use of food as medicine, and providing disaster relief. These four pillars make up the Foundation’s overall commitment of up to $90 million over the next three years to meet critical health and health-equity challenges in communities today.

“Today 9.5 million adults in the U.S. report having both a substance use disorder and a mental illness, and substance use disorders alone affect over 20 million Americans ages 12 and over. These startling figures drive home our commitment to partnering with organizations that are delivering solutions on a local and national level,” said Shantanu Agrawal, M.D., Chief Health Officer of Elevance Health. “By acknowledging the physical, behavioral, and social drivers of health as they relate to substance use disorders, the Elevance Health Foundation—along with its recently awarded grantees—is positioned to provide meaningful solutions in achieving better health and advancing health equity.”

Fifteen organizations will receive $13 million over the next three years as the first round of substance use disorder grantees. Each grant will focus on at least one of the following themes: prevention of and early intervention in substance use disorders in youth; access to care; and quality of treatment. Collectively, these grants have the potential to reach 42 million Americans.

Substance Use Disorder Grantees

• 3RTEC, Inc., dba My Recovery Day
• 24/7 Gateway, LLC
• Chris Atwood Foundation, Inc.
• Duke University
• Emergency Medicine Foundation
• Faces and Voices of Recovery
• Fletcher Group, Inc.
• Mental Health America
• Prevention Action Alliance
• Shatterproof
• Signature Health, Inc.
• Star House Foundation
• Young People in Recovery
• Youth First, Inc.
• YWCA of Northeast Indiana, Inc.