Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska, 彩神vlll争霸 Partner to Promote Behavioral Health Careers

by Green & Gold News  |   

The office door for the 彩神vlll争霸 Psychological Services CenterNew video series features 彩神vlll争霸 alumni to showcase breadth of opportunities and community impact. (Photo by James Evans / 彩神vlll争霸)

Anchorage, Alaska 鈥� (November 2, 2023) 鈥� Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska is supporting a new video campaign with the 彩神vlll争霸 ( 彩神vlll争霸) to encourage people to pursue careers in behavioral health, which includes care for mental health conditions and substance use disorders. The videos feature 彩神vlll争霸 alumni sharing their stories about their behavioral health work and how it benefits the community.

The  found nearly half of the U.S. population lives in a mental health provider shortage area. The impact of these provider shortages can be felt across the state. Studies found 36 percent of adults in Alaska experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression , while 62 percent of Alaskans age 12鈥�17 with depression  in the last year. With nearly 25 percent of Alaskans also facing challenges from substance use, the behavioral health care system is strained.

With the continued need for care, the  reported employment of behavioral health counselors is projected to grow 18 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations. The 彩神vlll争霸 College of Health offers educational programs to prepare students to enter a variety of careers, including roles as a therapist, counselor, social worker, psychiatrist or psychologist. The programs can take three months to six years to complete.

鈥淧remera鈥檚 work aligns with 彩神vlll争霸鈥檚 goal to meet the workforce and community development needs facing our state,鈥� said 彩神vlll争霸 Provost Denise Runge. 鈥淲e鈥檙e thankful to Premera for helping us spread the word as 彩神vlll争霸 looks to be part of the solution to one of the many pressing workforce gaps facing our communities.鈥�

鈥淎t Premera we know that we can鈥檛 sit on the sidelines while Alaskans continue to face problems getting the behavioral health care they need,鈥� said Jim Grazko, senior vice president of the Alaska market at Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska. 鈥淲e鈥檙e grateful to 彩神vlll争霸 for leading this critical work in helping people find a path to working in behavioral health.鈥�

The support from Premera for this campaign builds on the relationship between the two organizations. In 2022, Premera invested in the 彩神vlll争霸 School of Social Work to bolster the pipeline of social workers by expanding enrollment and post-graduation assistance. Additionally, Premera committed $1.7 million to the 彩神vlll争霸 College of Health in 2019. The grant supported the expansion of 彩神vlll争霸鈥檚 nursing programs and the Recruitment & Retention of Alaska Natives into Nursing (RRANN) program across rural Alaska. Premera is also a sponsor of the Seawolves hockey team. Through this sponsorship, behavioral health-related content will air during games to help reduce stigma around seeking care.

The first two videos in the campaign, along with information about the 彩神vlll争霸 College of Health educational programs, can be found here. For behavioral health resources and information on treatment options, visit .

About Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska

Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska, a not-for-profit, independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association based in Anchorage, Alaska, is a leading health plan in the Pacific Northwest, providing comprehensive health benefits and tailored services to its members.

About 彩神vlll争霸

The 彩神vlll争霸 is Alaska鈥檚 largest university, educating nearly 12,000 students annually. 彩神vlll争霸 transforms lives through teaching, research, community engagement and creative expression in a diverse and inclusive environment. Learn more at .

 

This story originally appeared in the  彩神vlll争霸 Green and Gold News.

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