Humana partners with Volunteers of America
Humana is focusing on advancing health equity with commitments to local affiliates of Volunteers of America.
The company’s investments will help address urgent needs throughout communities Humana serves, with a passionate focus on maternal and behavioral health, as well as health-related social needs like housing instability.
“Our ongoing partnership with VOA furthers our commitment to make a meaningful difference across our communities, and by working together with this great organization, we can partner to make communities healthier and more resilient,” said John Barger, president, Humana Healthy Horizons, Humana’s Medicaid business. “We greatly value VOA’s empathetic approach to equitable, integrated healthcare and are proud to be part of the incredible work they do.”
[Read more: Pharmacy of the future: Integrating SDOH to understand patient needs]
One area of focus for Humana Healthy Horizons is Family-Focused Recovery, VOA’s pioneering, evidence-based approach to treating pregnant women and moms with Substance Use Disorder and their children. With Humana Healthy Horizons’ support, VOA is breaking ground on two FFR centers in Lawton, Okla. and New Orleans, La., in October, and will open the doors of a brand new FFR center in Columbus, Ohio, in early 2025. These centers are designed to allow families to stay together through recovery, improving outcomes and reducing instances of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.
“Our outcomes-based approach to caring for our vulnerable populations is made possible in part through our partnership with Humana Healthy Horizons,” said Margaret Ratcliff, executive vice president of affiliate relations at VOA. “By enabling our neighbors to focus on their health as we address their social needs, we can help create thriving communities.”
Additionally, through a $1.5 million commitment from Humana, Volunteers of America Michigan will be able to address housing insecurity in greater Detroit by developing an innovative “Housing Hub.” This model will offer resources and services including short-term crisis, interim and transitional housing; medical respite care; and on-site medical and behavioral health services. Enhanced Complex Care Coordination teams will function as “spokes,” reaching into three area counties to engage and serve members.
Since 2019, Humana and the Humana Foundation have engaged in a landmark national partnership with VOA, committing a total of more than $31 million. These investments are specifically focused to support housing and integrated healthcare among those who need it most.