SANTA BARBARA, Calif. and PARSIPPANY, N.J. , Feb. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Direct Relief, Teva Pharmaceuticals, and the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) today announced the funding of Community Routes: Access to Mental Health Care grants, awarding $75,000 to each of 11 free and charitable clinics across Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas. Now in its third year, the initiative continues to address the critical need for expanded mental health services in medically underserved communities.
“Every day uninsured patients face barriers to accessing basic mental health services they need,” said Carol Richardson, Sustainability and Health Equity Lead, Teva U.S. “This latest round of grant funding will enable clinics in more states to expand existing or develop innovative new behavioral health programs that meet the needs of their local patient populations”.
Over the first two years, Community Routes grantees demonstrated significant impact across their communities reaching more than 63,000 beneficiaries. Clinics conducted 24,617 patient screenings for depression, anxiety, and adverse childhood experiences, helping identify and address previously unmet mental health needs. The program extended beyond direct patient care, with grantees training more than 2,800 community members, staff, and volunteers in mental health promotion and well-being. Additionally, clinics organized 131 community events to expand access to mental health education and services, strengthening their role as trusted healthcare resources.
Building on these achievements, this funding cycle prioritizes the creation and expansion of innovative care delivery models that integrate behavioral health services into existing clinical operations, with particular emphasis on evidence-based screening tools and treatment protocols for depression and anxiety.
"Mental health is an essential component of overall well-being, yet too many individuals in underserved communities struggle to access the care they need,” shared Nicole Lamoureux, NAFC President & CEO. “This program empowers clinics to bridge this gap by expanding behavioral health services and critical mental health support. By investing in these clinics, we are investing in the health and resilience of entire communities."
The 2025 grant recipients include:
Alabama:
- Medical Outreach Ministries (Montgomery) - Leveraging academic partnerships through the University of Alabama's psychiatry residency program to integrate mental health services into primary care.
- Ozanam Charitable Pharmacy (Mobile) - Implementing screening tools for depression and within pharmacy services and connecting patients to necessary resources.
- St. Michael's Medical Clinic (Anniston) - Integrating mental health services with primary care and social support services to address the complex needs of uninsured and homeless populations.
Mississippi:
- Bethel Free Clinic, Inc. (Biloxi) - Enhancing mental health access for uninsured residents by integrating depression and anxiety screenings into patient care, referring those in need for further evaluation.
Texas:
- Brother Bill's Helping Hand (Dallas) - Improving mental health access for predominantly Latino communities through integrated care, community-based outreach, and culturally competent services.
- Heal the City Free Clinic (Amarillo) - Implementing community-based stigma reduction programs to increase understanding of mental health conditions and encourage individuals to seek support.
- Health for All (Bryan) - Expanding trauma-informed mental health services access for underserved populations and delivering culturally sensitive services tailored to their diverse community’s needs.
- Ibn Sina Foundation (Houston) - Emphasizing equitable access by addressing the distinct mental health needs of multiple underserved populations. Mercy Clinic of Fort Worth - Integrating behavioral health services into routine care and establishing patient navigation systems for uninsured Spanish-speaking patients.
- The Agape Clinic (Dallas) - Developing comprehensive mental health support systems, including therapy, case management, and peer support, for the underserved patient population.
- Woven Health Clinic (Farmers Branch) - Integrating mental health services into primary care by offering screenings for depression and anxiety, connection to individual counseling, and treatment plans.
Selected programs emphasize sustainable integration of mental health services through:
- Implementation of standardized screening protocols
- Supporting the clinical workforce through partnerships
- Integration of behavioral health into primary care
- Extending cultural competency across the full continuum of patient care
- Social service referral networks
"Expanding mental health services in resource-limited settings has been a key focus of prior Community Routes funding, and this latest round will allow providers to reach even more people with critical services," said Katie Lewis, Regional Director of U.S. Programs for Direct Relief. "These funds will allow clinics to build on successful approaches while exploring new strategies that fit the unique needs of the people and communities they serve."
For a report on lessons learned from our Community Routes: Access to Mental Healthcare grantees, click here.
Community Routes: Access to Mental Health Care—a partnership between Teva, Direct Relief and the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC)— is a unique access program that is helping to advance health equity and quality care for underserved populations across the U.S.
Teva is providing commonly used medicines that treat depression and anxiety to 400+ clinics in 10 states, as well as $4 million in grant funding to support innovative behavioral health services through local free and charitable clinics, tailored to meet the needs of their communities. To read more click here.
About Direct Relief
Direct Relief is a humanitarian aid organization, active in all 50 states and more than 80 countries, with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies. Direct Relief works with healthcare providers operating in resource-limited communities to help them care for their patients by providing essential medical supplies and equipment. Learn more at DirectRelief.org.
About National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics
National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) is the only nonprofit 501c (3) organization whose mission is solely focused on the issues and needs of the medically underserved throughout the nation and the more than 1,400 Free and Charitable Clinics that serve them. The NAFC has earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar and a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. Founded in 2001 and headquartered near Washington, D.C., the NAFC is working to ensure that the medically underserved have access to affordable quality health care and strives to be a national voice promoting quality health care for all. For more information about the NAFC, please visit www.nafcclinics.org.
About Teva
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) is a different kind of global pharmaceutical leader, one that operates across the full spectrum of innovation to reliably deliver medicines to patients worldwide. For over 120 years, Teva’s commitment to bettering health has never wavered. Today, the company’s global network of capabilities enables its 37,000 employees across 57 markets to advance health by developing medicines for the future while championing the production of generics and biologics. If patients have a need, we’re already working to address it. To learn more about how Teva is all in for better health, visit www.tevapharm.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This document and the presentation at the conference may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are based on management’s current beliefs and expectations and are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that could cause our future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from that expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include risks relating to: our ability to participate and/or fund patient access programs; our ability to successfully compete in the marketplace including our ability to successfully execute our Pivot to Growth strategy, including to expand our innovative and biosimilar medicines pipeline and profitably commercialize the innovative medicines and biosimilar portfolio, whether organically or through business development, and to sustain and focus our portfolio of generics medicines; our substantial indebtedness; our business and operations in general including the impact of global economic conditions and other macroeconomic developments and the governmental and societal responses thereto; compliance, regulatory and litigation matters; other financial and economic risks; and other factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, including in the sections captioned "Risk Factors.” Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or other information contained herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
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