WellCare Donates $22,000 to Emory University to Provide Behavioral Health Care at New School-Based Health Center in Georgia

WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) announced today that it donated $22,000 to Emory University to fund behavioral health services for a school-based health center at North Clayton High School in College Park, Georgia. The WellCare-sponsored behavioral health services include on-site individual counseling and support groups. Emory University will evaluate the effect behavioral health services can have on school attendance and the need for disciplinary action.

The school-based health center is designed to make health services accessible to more than 2,700 students in North Clayton High School, as well as students from West Clayton Elementary, North Clayton Middle School and Northcutt Elementary.

“Having WellCare provide on-site behavioral health services is a tremendous opportunity because it ensures high school students can have their behavioral health needs met more quickly in a comfortable, familiar environment,” said Tamera Foley, executive director for teaching and learning for Clayton County Public Schools. “By meeting the students’ medical and behavioral health needs, we better prepare them for academic success.”

“Emory’s department of Pediatrics will provide oversight for these services and will evaluate the impact they have on attendance and disciplinary action,” said Dr. Veda Johnson, Associate Professor of pediatrics at Emory University. “This project will help parents, schools and communities to better understand the significance of the link between academic performance and behavioral health.” 

“Clayton County has one mental health provider for every 15,000 residents, which points to the overwhelming need for accessible behavioral health care within the community,” said Dr. John Alexander Johnson, senior medical director for WellCare of Georgia. “WellCare saw this as an innovative opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children who live in a community we serve and to contribute valuable data that can help to identify areas that impact academic turnarounds and overall achievement. This effort is about providing children with access to the resources they need to improve their health and quality of life long-term.”

As of Dec. 31, 2014, WellCare serves approximately 604,000 Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids® plan members, 31,000 Medicare Advantage plan members and 55,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan members in Georgia. To learn more about how we care for Georgians watch Gloria’s story at http://youtu.be/qyn-nywze04.

About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
WellCare Health Plans, Inc. provides managed care services targeted to government-sponsored health care programs, including Medicaid, Medicare, Prescription Drug Plans and the Health Insurance Marketplace. Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare offers a variety of health plans for families, children, and the aged, blind and disabled. The company serves approximately 4.1 million members nationwide as of Dec. 31, 2014. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company’s website at www.wellcare.com or view the company’s videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/WellCareHealthPlan.