Washoe County has launched a new community fund to support regional behavioral health initiatives as directed by the Board of County Commissioners as part of its strategic planning. Behavioral health comprises mental health and drug use disorders, and is a driving factor of homelessness, chronic community health issues, and law enforcement challenges.
The Regional Behavioral Health Initiatives Fund, managed by the Community Foundation of Northern Nevada, will provide the financial foundation for advancing collaborative efforts by public and private partners. SilverSummit Healthplan was the first and largest private donor with an initial gift of $80,000 with $20,000 to follow in subsequent years for a total of $120,000, enabling the project to move forward. Northern Nevada Public Health provided an initial contribution of $40,000 with $20,000 to follow in subsequent years for a total of $100,000. Anthem Blue Cross, United Healthcare, City of Reno, City of Sparks, and Washoe County each contributed $20,000 to this first year of efforts.
“Investment in meaningful efforts to address mental health is critical for public health in our community,” Chad Kingsley, District Health Officer, said. “Support for improved mental health is consistently identified by the community as one of the top community health needs during our community assessment and planning. We are excited to partner with private and public agencies to make a difference in Washoe County.”
Washoe County has launched the first initiative in the framework to address behavioral health: a Regional Crisis Response System. This system when fully developed will fill three basic needs in crisis response: somewhere to call, someone to come to you, and somewhere safe to be.
“With an initial grant of $80,000 followed by two additional commitments of $20,000 over the next two years, SilverSummit was the first to provide private sector funds to support this vital behavioral health work in Washoe County,” Niki King, Silver Summit VP of Community Solutions, said. Our community deserves a compassionate, comprehensive approach to addressing behavioral health crises — one that ensures individuals and families receive the care they need, precisely when and where they need it. This initiative represents a crucial step toward improving lives and strengthening our region.”
The Community Foundation has been a key partner with Washoe County in managing these public-private funds, beginning with the Affordable Housing Trust Fund in 2021.
“Powerful things happen when we work together,” Eaton Dunkleberger, CEO of Community Foundation of Northern Nevada, said. “We are honored to provide our expertise to steward donations and maintain donor engagement and trust for this important initiative.”
“Behavioral health is community health, and we appreciate that these organizations understand the impact they can have by investing,” Julia Ratti, Washoe County behavioral health administrator, said. “We want to thank these donors and the numerous others who have stepped up to support the important work the community is doing in this field.”
Learn more and support the Regional Behavioral Health Initiatives Fund here.
