Cambia Health Foundation Invests $500,000 to Bolster the Behavioral Health Care Workforce

More than $1.5 million invested to date by Cambia Health Foundation to support behavioral health care providers

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As the need for mental health care continues to rise, there are not enough providers to meet the growing demand. In response, Cambia Health Foundation invested an additional $500,000 in community partners to relieve the strain on the region’s health care workforce. This funding marks more than $1.5 million invested in Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington since 2022 and is part of a larger vision to advance equity through whole-person health.

“Nearly all types of behavioral health providers are in short supply as the demand for services continues to grow, which has created an incredibly complex problem,” said Peggy Maguire, president of the Cambia Health Foundation. “We’re partnering with community organizations to bolster the current workforce while also empowering the next generation of clinicians and therapists."

Each grantee will approach this complex issue in bold and distinct ways with many focused on testing new care models and increasing representation of diverse perspectives in the workforce. “We want our funding to inspire someone who may not have seen themselves going into the health care workforce to consider a career in behavioral health as a viable and rewarding option,” said Maguire. “We’re working to create new pathways for students to pursue their careers while increasing availability of culturally relevant care for people who want providers to help them through the delivery of high-quality personalized services.”

These investments are part of the Foundation’s Health Care Workforce program, which focuses on expanding, diversifying, and training the workforce to reduce behavioral health workforce shortages in our region. This effort is part of a larger vision to advance equity through whole-person health across its four-state footprint. The Foundation partners with organizations that are addressing the root causes of provider shortages as well as creating innovative approaches that expand access to care within whole-person care models.

Cambia Health Foundation is pleased to invest $500,000 among the following organizations:

• Greater New H.O.P.E. Charities (Oregon)
• Latino Leadership Northwest (Washington)
• LiFEBoat Services Clatsop County (Oregon)
• Oregon Child & Family Center for Excellence (Oregon)
• Oregon Latino Health Coalition (Oregon)
• Summit Pacific Medical Center (Washington)
• University of Utah (Utah)
• Washington Chapter American Academy of Pediatrics (Washington)
• Wenatchee Valley College (Washington)

About Cambia Health Foundation

Cambia Health Foundation is the corporate foundation of Cambia Health Solutions. Founded in 2007, the foundation has funded over $131 million in grants to advance patient- and family-centered care for all. We purposefully invest in ideas that expand access to behavioral health care to advance equity through whole-person health.