Funding Will Allow Expansion of School-Based Mental Health Services
MINNETONKA, MINN – Medica today announced a gift of $1.35 million to Washburn Center for Children to support its school-based mental health programs. The gift was presented at Washburn Center’s Dawn of Hope breakfast held Wednesday, October 9.
Youth mental health remains a top concern for educators and the health care community. In a recent survey by the University of Minnesota, almost 94% of principals agreed or somewhat agreed that student mental health challenges represent a major barrier to student learning at their schools. And according to the CDC, 1 in 6 children, ages 6-17, experience a mental health disorder each year, but only 20% of those kids receive care from a mental health provider.
Washburn Center helps address these challenges with nearly 200 community-based clinicians working with more than 4,000 children in homes, schools, hospital and clinic settings. The largest program has therapists embedded in about 60 schools across the Twin Cities, working with students, staff and caregivers in Minneapolis, Bloomington, Columbia Heights, Eden Prairie and Burnsville-Savage-Eagan; plus several charter schools. Washburn Center’s model is effective. For example, 145 students from Burnsville received mental health care in 2023.
The funding from Medica will support the expansion of Washburn’s school-based services.
“This transformational gift serves up hope that will sustain Washburn during the ongoing children’s mental health crisis,” Washburn Center CEO Craig Warren said. “With Medica’s $1.35 million donation, we will further broaden the impact of culturally responsive mental health care delivered in our community’s schools.”
“Donors and supporters are the backbone of our ability to strengthen the mental health of children, families, schools and the broader community. Generosity and partnership are at the center of this mission as we nurture every child and family’s wellbeing and full potential through transformative mental health care. This is especially true as the demand has skyrocketed for Washburn Center services even along increasing workforce and financial pressures.”
Said Andrew Marshall, Medica Market President, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota: “As a dad of three school-age girls, I see the unique challenges facing younger generations and the rapidly increasing demand for mental health services. As a community we continue to learn how important school-based mental health services are for our kids. As an organization, Medica is honored to provide this gift to allow expansion of Washburn Center’s program that reaches students in moments that matter.”
Washburn Center for Children leads in child-centered care with the broadest and deepest spectrum of outpatient children’s mental health services in Minnesota. With one of the largest teams of children’s mental health therapists, its community-based model is strengthened by families and children served and grounded by impact that reaches family networks, neighborhoods, schools and communities. Washburn Center is also a leader in training mental health professionals in trauma-informed, evidence-based care. Visit washburn.org for more information.
About Medica
Medica (www.medica.com) is a mission-driven, member-focused non-profit health plan headquartered in Minnesota. The company serves communities in the heart of America by providing health care coverage and related services in the employer, individual, Medicaid and Medicare markets. It operates in Minnesota, Arizona, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Medica’s mission to better your life with care in the moments that matter is a testament to member-focused commitment to high quality, affordable health care.
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Washburn Center media contact: Julie Carver, 612-597-0934 or julie.carver@washburn.org
Medica media contact: Greg Bury, 612-810-4556 or greg.bury@medica.com