Direct Relief, Teva Pharmaceuticals, and the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) announced today the award of $75,000 grants to each of 11 free and charitable clinics/pharmacies across Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas, as part of the Community Routes: Access to Mental Health Care initiative. Now entering its third year, the program aims to expand access to mental health services in underserved areas.
“Every day, uninsured individuals face significant barriers to accessing essential mental health services,” said Carol Richardson, Sustainability and Health Equity Lead at Teva U.S. “This new round of funding will empower clinics in more states to expand existing programs or create innovative solutions to meet the behavioral health needs of their communities.”
The Community Routes program has already had a significant impact in its first two years. Grantees have reached over 63,000 individuals, conducting 24,617 screenings for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and adverse childhood experiences. These efforts have allowed clinics to identify and address previously unmet mental health needs. The program also contributed to training more than 2,800 community members, staff, and volunteers in mental health promotion, while hosting 131 community events focused on expanding mental health education.
Building on this success, the latest round of funding will prioritize the development and scaling of innovative care models that integrate behavioral health services into existing clinic operations. The emphasis will be on using evidence-based screening tools and treatment protocols to address depression and anxiety.
Nicole Lamoureux, NAFC President & CEO, highlighted the significance of the program, stating, “Mental health is an essential component of overall well-being, yet too many individuals in underserved communities struggle to access the care they need. This initiative empowers clinics to expand mental health services and build community resilience.”
Katie Lewis, Regional Director of U.S. Programs for Direct Relief, added, “This funding allows clinics to continue their successful work and explore new strategies to meet the unique needs of their local populations, ultimately expanding access to crucial mental health services in resource-limited settings.”
The Community Routes program, a collaboration between Teva, Direct Relief, and the NAFC, is working to advance health equity and improve the quality of care for underserved communities. As part of the initiative, Teva is also providing medications commonly used to treat depression and anxiety to over 400 clinics in 10 states, alongside $4 million in grant funding for behavioral health services.
For more information on the program’s impact, please refer to the Community Routes: Access to Mental Healthcare grantees report.
