PROVIDENCE – Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island has expanded access to behavioral health care services for its members, including urgent and pediatric services, in response to a shortage of mental health services in the state.
With this expansion, members will have access to more appointments and expanded access to Butler Hospital’s HealthPath program.
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“We have to take action now, as we face a nationwide and statewide mental health care crisis,” said Rosaly Cuevas, Blue Cross manager of behavioral health quality. “As we grapple with unprecedented demand for these services amid the ongoing pandemic, BCBSRI is expanding access to care when it’s most critical – when children and families urgently need professional help.”
Expanded access became available at the end of 2022 at Providence Behavioral Health, a behavioral health services provider offering appointments for children, teens and adults in urgent need of child psychiatry, adult psychiatry, or therapy, and at the Rhode Island Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, where appointments for children and teens are available through its Rapid Response Program, with locations in East Providence, North Kingstown, Barrington, Lincoln and Warwick.
Blue Cross has also been working with James Andriotis of Child and Family Psychiatry Inc., doing business as LifeStance Health, since 2019 to provide increased access to psychiatry services for children and adolescents.
Blue Cross also increased its members’ access to Butler Hospital’s HealthPath program, which offers comprehensive behavioral health services for adults. The program, previously available to commercial members, is now also available to Medicare Advantage members.
Claudia Chiappa is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Chiappa@PBN.com.
