How Ronald McDonald House Charities Intermountain Area provides skilled behavioral health support to families when they need it most

When a child is seriously ill or injured, the entire family is affected. While the child requires medical attention and effective treatments, their family also needs to be supported with compassion and care. Families can find this support at Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), which works to ease the burdens of everyday life so families can focus on being with their children.

To expand the resources available to families, RMHC of the Intermountain Area has created a new family support program funded by the Cambia Health Foundation. This pioneering program includes a full-time staff person and provides crisis intervention, mental health support, grief and bereavement support, and collaborative case management to help address social determinants of health. This can include helping families at home after their stay by connecting them to community resources for job placement, food security, school, support groups and other services.

RMHC is a longtime community partner of Cambia Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Cambia Health Solutions. The new family support program aligns with the Foundation's new strategic vision to advance equity through whole-person health in underserved communities. With this renewed focus on behavioral health and belief in building a just and inclusive health care system for all, the Foundation is amid a multi-year, $11.5 million community initiative to increase access, improve quality of care and reduce the stigma of mental health.

This episode of HealthChangers highlights the innovative family support program founded at RMHC Intermountain Area. Carrie Romano, CEO of RMHC Intermountain Area, and Maria Gamvroulas, Family Support Services Manager, talk with Jim Swayze, president of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah, about the work of RMHC and the support of families. The episode concludes with reflections from Peggy Maguire, president of the Cambia Health Foundation.