ATLANTA, Nov. 6, 2023 — Aetna Better Health of Georgia, a CVS Health® company (NYSE: CVS), announced that Aetna® provided $380,000 to 23 community-based organizations across the state to support Georgia youth and families. The community investments aim to improve the health and well-being of mothers and infants, while also enhancing opportunities and resources for under-resourced populations with significant support needs.
“Building a strong, healthy community begins with ensuring children and families have access to the opportunities and resources they need to be healthy and strong themselves,” said Sonya Nelson, division president at Aetna Medicaid. “The goal of this funding is to do just that — promote the programs that provide resources to the families and individuals who need them. We’re investing in the communities we serve to help them heal and grow together.”
The donations from Aetna will help fund programs that promote health literacy among families, support youth academic success, increase access to health services for at-risk populations, and provide financial assistance for families facing economic instability. These include:
● Communities in Schools of Atlanta, Inc.
● Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta, Inc.
● TBC Alliance Corporation
● mPact Co-op Association Inc.
● Kids’-Doc-On Wheels, Inc.
● The Sheltering Arms
● Transforming Faith Church
● Foundation for Play Therapy
● EBC Cares, Inc.
“High-quality, early childhood education and comprehensive family support are critical for children growing up in under-resourced communities. Support from organizations like Aetna allows us to partner with local communities to provide equitable access to early education and address health and economic stability needs for the families we serve,” said Blythe Keeler Robinson, president and CEO of The Sheltering Arms. “Together, we can help close opportunity gaps, break generational cycles of poverty and build a foundation of hope, resilience and empowerment for the next generation of leaders in Atlanta.”
In addition, the donations from Aetna include funding to a number of organizations aimed at addressing maternal health needs and early-childhood education and wellness, including:
● The Center for Black Women’s Wellness (CBWW) Inc.
● Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia
● Helping Mamas, Inc.
● Augusta Partnership for Children, Inc.
● Bethany Christian Services of Georgia
● Heart of Georgia Healthy Start Coalition Inc.
● GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students, Inc.
“It’s essential that children receive the social-emotional support they need from early childhood to set them up for long-term success. We are committed to doing this by advocating for and providing access to high-quality early education and child care services for all Georgia children,” said Mindy Binderman, executive director at the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students (GEEARS). “We appreciate the Aetna investment, which will help in our efforts to close the equity gap among Georgia youth by ensuring child care programs are well equipped with tailored resources to support them.”
Other organizations receiving support will use the funds for programs benefiting under-resourced youth and families. These programs encompass services for children in foster care, youth who have experiences or are currently facing homelessness, as well as health and social support services for individuals with disabilities. The organizations receiving community investments include:
● Spectrum Autism Support Group, Inc.
● Childkind, Inc.
● Promise 686, Inc.
● Multi-Agency Alliance for Children Inc.
● The University of Georgia Foundation
● Friends of Disabled Adults and Children
● The United Methodist Children’s Home of the North Georgia Conference
“All Georgia youth deserve equal access to growth and success, regardless of their background. Children who have experienced homelessness or foster care often need more support to reach the same goals, which is why the Fanning Institute established Embark Georgia,” said David Meyers, Embark Georgia co-network director and UGA Fanning Institute public service faculty. “Aetna’s gift will be directed to the UGA Foundation, and earmarked for the Embark Georgia program. We are grateful for this partnership, which allows us to continue to improve college access and success for youth across the state who have or are currently experiencing foster care, ensuring they have the same opportunities to pursue higher education and reach their goals as their peers.”
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About Aetna Medicaid
Aetna Medicaid Administrators LLC (Aetna Medicaid), a CVS Health company, has over 30 years of experience managing the care of under-resourced populations, using innovative approaches and a local presence in each market to achieve both successful health care results and effective cost outcomes. Aetna Medicaid has expertise serving high-need Medicaid members, including those who are dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare. Currently, Aetna Medicaid owns and/or administers Medicaid managed health care plans under the names of Aetna Better Health and other affiliate names. Together, these plans serve members in 16 states, including Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. For more information, see www.aetnabetterhealth.com.
About CVS Health
CVS Health® is the leading health solutions company, delivering care like no one else can. We reach more people and improve the health of communities across America through our local presence, digital channels and over 300,000 dedicated colleagues – including more than 40,000 physicians, pharmacists, nurses and nurse practitioners. Wherever and whenever people need us, we help them with their health – whether that’s managing chronic diseases, staying compliant with their medications or accessing affordable health and wellness services in the most convenient ways. We help people navigate the health care system – and their personal health care – by improving access, lowering costs and being a trusted partner for every meaningful moment of health. And we do it all with heart, each and every day. Follow @CVSHealth on social media.
Media contact
Robert Joyce
Robert.Joyce@CVSHealth.com
