Sustaining Community-based Behavioral Health Services
Vail, Colorado – May 31, 2024 – Vail Health Behavioral Health and Your Hope Center are partnering to ensure the long-term viability of school-based clinical services and community stabilization programs. With the rapid growth of Your Hope Center and associated costs, as well as new state regulatory changes being implemented this summer, to ensure access to vital behavioral health services continue for years to come, Your Hope Center and Vail Health are partnering to begin billing commercial health insurance for school-based clinical services and community stabilization services beginning July 1, 2024.
“Your Hope Center has experienced monumental growth in the past six years, and we are dedicated to continuing to expand services to meet the needs of our community,” said Carrie Benway, Executive Director of Your Hope Center. “Your Hope Center has been billing Medicaid during the past two years for services provided through both the community stabilization program and the school-based clinicians. Billing commercial insurance will provide much-needed funding to support these programs and ensure they continue for years to come. This new process will also allow us to continue to provide crisis response free to those in crisis and ensures no one will ever be turned away when they are in need of crisis support in the community.”
In 2018, Your Hope Center began providing school-based clinical services for students in two Eagle County middle schools. The program has grown to include a clinician in every elementary, middle, and high school within the Eagle County School District. These clinicians play a vital role in addressing the rise of social emotional challenges facing children and teens through access to therapeutic clinical services conveniently located in the school environment. It cost an estimated $1.7 million to provide school-based clinical services during the 2023-24 school year. Your Hope Center has historically operated with governmental support, Vail Health cash reserves, and philanthropic funding in partnership with the Vail Health Foundation; however, more sustainable funding is needed to maintain these services long term.
“Your Hope Center has experienced monumental growth in the past six years, and we are dedicated to continuing to expand services to meet the needs of our community.”
“We’ve been fortunate to have Your Hope Center clinicians supporting our students and school counselors during the past six years,” said Phil Qualman, Eagle County Superintendent. “To ensure these services can continue, we are in support of Your Hope Center’s clinical team billing commercial insurance to ensure that these mission critical services continue to be offered in our schools.”
At the beginning of the 2024-25 school year, parents with students receiving Your Hope Center clinical services will be asked to provide their health insurance information if they have public or private insurance. Parents with commercial insurance will receive a bill from Vail Health if their student participates in school-based clinical services and the family has a copay or deductible. Olivia’s Fund is available for families needing financial assistance or those who lack health insurance. Families are encouraged to learn more and apply at www.mountainstrong.org.
“We are fortunate to live in a community with generous benefactors who have supported our school-based clinical program for the past six years and continue to support Olivia’s Fund so that financial barriers do not prevent our students and families from receiving the mental health support they need,” said Chris Lindley, Chief Population Health Officer for Vail Health. “We are proud to support Your Hope Center in this way to ensure they are able to continue operating.”
About Vail Health
With a focus on providing access to higher quality, more affordable care, Vail Health is a nonprofit community health care system offering one of the world’s most advanced mountain hospitals. Vail Health includes award-winning oncology care and a state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization lab, as well as internationally renowned orthopaedic specialists led by The Steadman Clinic and Vail-Summit Orthopaedics & Neurosurgery. Primary, specialty and behavioral health care are provided through its partner, Colorado Mountain Medical. Vail Health is committed to meeting the growing and ever-changing needs of the diverse region and encouraging wellness and prevention through effective population health management. Vail Health is locally operated and governed by a volunteer board of directors. For more information, visit www.vailhealth.org.
