LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The MolinaCares Accord (“MolinaCares”) today announced a new collaboration with the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) focused on evidence-based continuing medical education resources to help primary care clinicians address the mental health needs of their patients.
“This year has put immense pressure on the health care system, communities, and families, and with COVID-19 making it more difficult to perform regular check-ups, those with behavioral health issues are most at risk,” said Dr. Jason Dees, executive vice president and chief medical officer of Molina Healthcare. “Our collaboration with the AAFP acknowledges this difficult reality and equips family physicians and other primary care clinicians with accredited education and best practices on depression, anxiety, and ADHD, empowering health care professionals to identify and support those who may be suffering silently.”
Primary care professionals, including family physicians and their teams, provide up to 60 percent of the care for patients with depression and anxiety disorders in the U.S. Both depression and anxiety disorders tend to be undertreated, with one estimate suggesting that, of the patients with an anxiety disorder, fewer than half are receiving appropriate care.
The AAFP, in collaboration with Molina Healthcare, will develop a comprehensive physician and patient education initiative on depression, anxiety and ADHD. The AAFP will leverage its diverse expertise and resources to deliver diagnostic tools and best practices for use by primary care physicians and other clinicians who care for patients struggling with mental health issues. The AAFP also will develop a series of educational materials for patients, including videos, that will be made available on the AAFP’s consumer-facing website, familydoctor.org.
“The AAFP is excited to collaborate with Molina Healthcare to extend our educational offerings beyond family medicine to all primary care clinicians who provide mental and behavioral health care to their patients,“ said Shawn Martin, executive vice president and chief executive officer of the AAFP. “Collaborations such as this allow us to broaden and strengthen primary care in the communities we serve.”
About MolinaCares Accord
Established by Molina Healthcare, Inc., The MolinaCares Accord oversees a community investment platform created to improve the health and well-being of disadvantaged populations by funding meaningful, measurable, and innovative programs and solutions that improve health, life, and living in local communities. The MolinaCares Accord funds such measures through The Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3) established in 2020 by Molina Healthcare, Inc.
About Molina Healthcare
Molina Healthcare, Inc., a FORTUNE 500 company, provides managed health care services under the Medicaid and Medicare programs and through the state insurance marketplaces. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare served approximately 4.0 million members as of September 30, 2020. For more information about Molina Healthcare, please visit molinahealthcare.com.
