The MolinaCares Accord, in collaboration with Molina Healthcare of Missouri (“Molina”), has launched a giving initiative – Advancing Health: Powered by Local Partnerships – with an initial commitment of over $300,000 to community-based organizations focused on improving access to behavioral, maternal, rural, and primary healthcare services.
Maternal and child health is a key focus of this giving initiative. Missouri’s hard-to-reach communities, including rural areas of the state, face the greatest challenges. Nearly 40% of women in rural areas of Missouri live over 30 minutes from a birthing hospital, highlighting the need for education and assistance directly to expectant and postpartum mothers.
“Families in Missouri, particularly in rural areas, need accessible, trusted spaces to receive maternal health support,” said Patty Miller, CEO of Missouri State Alliances of YMCAs. “In partnership with Molina, we are expanding programs within YMCAs to provide prenatal and postpartum education, connect mothers to care, and ensure moms and babies have the resources they need for a healthy start.”
With MolinaCares’ support, community partners will expand rural and behavioral health services, bolster the healthcare workforce, and increase access to resources that drive health outcomes.
“Community members understand best the challenges people face in accessing care and the solutions needed to address them,” said Jay Ludlam, plan president of Molina Healthcare of Missouri. “At Molina, we partner with local organizations to support these solutions and drive meaningful, lasting improvements in health.”
MolinaCares funding will focus on the following health priorities:
Behavioral Health
One in four Missouri adults has experienced some degree of mental illness, and one in five has experienced a substance use disorder, yet nearly two million residents live in an area without enough mental health professionals. Molina is supporting integrated behavioral health models and rapid-access substance use treatment, so Missourians can get the care they need in a timely manner.
Rural Health
Nearly a third of Missourians live in rural areas, and these residents face disparities in access to care, spanning higher rates of heart disease to a shortage of primary care health professionals. Molina is supporting efforts that strengthen the rural workforce, prevent chronic disease, and address the social drivers of health, such as transportation and access to nutritious food that are closely tied to health outcomes.
Maternal and Child Health
On average, 70 women in Missouri die each year due to pregnancy or birth complications – and state reports have found that 82% of these deaths are preventable. Molina is supporting community-based programs that provide accessible prenatal and postpartum education and support, helping mothers across the state build healthy foundations for their families.
Workforce Development
Missouri is facing shortages of healthcare professionals in most counties across the state. Molina is investing in workforce initiatives that provide hands-on learning, mentoring, and career exploration for students to increase the number of healthcare professionals serving Missourians.
About The MolinaCares Accord
Established by Molina Healthcare, Inc., The MolinaCares Accord oversees a community investment platform created to improve the health and well-being of disadvantaged populations by funding meaningful, measurable, and innovative programs and solutions that improve health, life, and living in local communities. The MolinaCares Accord funds such measures through the Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) established in 2020 by Molina Healthcare, Inc.
About Molina Healthcare
Molina Healthcare, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, provides managed healthcare services under the Medicaid and Medicare programs, and through state insurance marketplaces. For more information about Molina Healthcare, please visit MolinaHealthcare.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260623935277/en/
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