Direct Relief, the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, or NAFC, and Teva Pharmaceuticals, a U.S. affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., today announced the continued funding of 11 local free and charitable clinics in the U.S. as part of a $2 million, two-year commitment, through their collaborative Community Routes: Access to Mental Health Care program that aims to advance access to healthcare for uninsured patients seeking treatment for anxiety and depression.

The second round of funding to the clinics in Florida, New Jersey, and California underscores the commitment by Teva and its partners to expand access to mental health resources. The grants will support further expansion of the clinics’ innovative behavioral health services that are tailored to meet the cultural and language needs of patients in their local communities, including screening and services focused on trauma-informed care, training, continued community outreach and partnership development, new delivery sites, and continued trust-building among their patients and communities.

“Teva’s continued support for mental health across the U.S. builds on the past year’s success, connecting even more patients with quality care,” said Thomas Tighe, CEO and President of Direct Relief. “Over the past year, free clinics serving the most vulnerable patients were able to use these resources as a force multiplier for good. Direct Relief is privileged to work with these clinics, the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, and Teva, on this initiative that is again helping so many.”

“We know that a third of adults in the U.S. show symptoms of anxiety, depression or both – and more than 5.5 million adults with a mental illness are uninsured,” said Sven Dethlefs, PhD, Executive Vice President, North America Commercial at Teva. “Through this partnership, we are able to help address the rising need for community-based mental health care for uninsured and underserved populations.”

Nicole Lamoureux, President and CEO of NAFC said, “It is imperative that we continue to prioritize investment into mental health and behavioral programs. The funding from Community Routes provides these indispensable and trailblazing clinics with the momentum they need to create and expand mental health programs that can address the needs of their local communities.”

By the Numbers

Through the Community Routes: Access to Mental Health Care program, Teva is providing funds and a broad portfolio of generic medicines to help advance health equity and quality care for underserved populations experiencing depression and anxiety. Within the program’s first six months, the 11 grant recipients reached over 22,000 patients within underserved communities, supporting individuals already facing other challenges, including food insecurity, low literacy, homelessness, and disabilities.

Program impact includes the facilitation of more than 7,300 anxiety, depression and adverse childhood experiences, or ACE screenings, over 400 staff/volunteer and community member trainings, and nearly 20 community events across New Jersey, California, and Florida.

“Without the grant funding, there would be no access to therapy services. In a post-Covid world, there has never been more need for mental health services, both therapy and medication. We are making a difference because of the grant,” said Greg Speed, Counselor at Cape Volunteers in Medicine in Cape May Court House, New Jersey.

Visit TevaUSA.com to learn more about the Community Routes program, including a video highlighting the many voices behind the grassroots-focused program.

The 2023 grantee clinic recipients to receive continued funding through Community Routes are outlined below with an overview of their recent focus and impact made in their local communities to-date.

FLORIDA

• University of Florida Mobile Outreach in Gainesville, Florida – Create and disseminate evidence-informed, easily accessible mental health wellness curriculum and training to underserved populations via trusted community members through a mobile outreach model.
• Grace Medical Home in Orlando, Florida – Expand an existing program that proactively identifies trauma and offers individualized interventions through an integrated, whole-person, multi-disciplinary approach to improve health outcomes.
• • Talbot House Ministries of Lakeland, Inc., in Lakeland, Florida – Support medication reconciliation services provided through the pharmacy, outreach and event coordination, and outreach to homeless encampments to connect with clinical services and referrals for mental health care, patient transportation, and education.

NEW JERSEY

• Cape Volunteers in Medicine in Cape May Court House, New Jersey – Improve mental and behavioral health access and treatment among at-risk populations by expanding depression and anxiety screenings. Funding also supports community events and outreach to identify community members’ mental and physical needs.
• Bergen Volunteer Medical Initiative, Inc., in Hackensack, New Jersey – Increase capacity and fill a much-needed gap in care for Spanish-speaking patients with depression and anxiety through the support of a bilingual mental health practitioner and telehealth services to help reduce stigma and barriers to care.
• Parker Family Health Center in Red Bank, New Jersey – Support a collaboration with the Mental Health Association of Monmouth County, which allows for a bilingual therapist to offer weekly counseling and the creation of mental health education to be shared at live community events, virtually and digitally.

CALIFORNIA

• Samaritan House in San Mateo, California – Support implementation of best practices in treating depression, anxiety, and trauma, as well as working with geriatric and immigrant populations. The creation of a student-led trainee program to expand group and individual services and the adoption of psychoeducational books, in native languages, to help promote awareness and reduce stigma.

• Symba Center in Apple Valley, California – Expand partnership with local behavioral health services organization to remove barriers and support successful, trauma-informed, mental and behavioral health care at a homeless shelter site.
• Westminster Free Clinic in Thousand Oaks, California – Offer a range of culturally and linguistically competent mental health services, including individual and peer support, and a training program that empowers parents to identify the early signs of mental health issues.
• Lestonnac Free Clinic in Orange, California – Establish protocols and formalize behavioral health program under a Behavioral Health Program Manager to provide care through a trauma-informed lens and create a mentorship program for behavioral health interns from local colleges and universities.
• Savie Health in Lompoc, California – Create a screening protocol for social determinants of health, depression, and anxiety and provide culturally sensitive resources and referrals to help patients overcome barriers to mental health care.