Friday, April 15, 2011

AspenPointe Receives Grant from Caring for Colorado Foundation

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The Caring for Colorado Foundation has awarded AspenPointe TeleCare a one year, $50,000 grant to expand its depression care management (DCM) program to serve uninsured adults.

DCM is a telephone-based program that supports individuals in their efforts to manage depression. It is a voluntary and confidential program that provides professional and compassionate one-to-one outreach, care coordination and ongoing support.

The grant will allow AspenPointe to serve between 90 and 120 uninsured adults during the course of a year. The average length of time a participant is enrolled in the program is about six months.

“This project seeks to expand our depression care program to serve those most in need in our community. Prior to receiving the grant, we were not able to support those without insurance,” said Robin Anderson, program manager for AspenPointe TeleCare. “This is also our first grant from the Caring for Colorado Foundation and we hope to continue the relationship.”

The Caring for Colorado Foundation, based in Denver, makes accessible healthcare a reality for people in Colorado through targeted grants that provide measurable health improvements. It aims to build healthcare capacity, strengthen existing healthcare systems and link people to care.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, depression affects about 1 in 5 people each year. It estimates that depression costs American businesses $63 billion each year, with $36.6 billion resulting from reduced productivity and increased absenteeism, not the cost of treatment.

AspenPointe TeleCare helps participants better manage their self-care to improve their overall physical and mental health. The added support improves quality of life and helps individuals feel better about themselves at home and in the workplace.

In addition to supporting members directly, AspenPointe TeleCare’s care managers communicate regularly with members’ healthcare providers to provide for optimum treatment.

For more information about AspenPointe TeleCare and the Depression Care Management program, please call (719) 572-6100 or visit www.aspenpointe.org.

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