Eagle Times Staff
BERLIN, VT — To meet the increasing need for mental health and substance use disorder providers, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont (Blue Cross VT) has announced a new partnership with Valera Health. A leader in virtual mental health care, Valera Health offers therapy and psychiatry services for adults, adolescents and children aged six and older.
“Many Vermonters struggle to find mental health providers who are taking new patients,” Lou McLaren, director of provider services at Blue Cross VT said. “This partnership with Valera Health will offer more resources to access care.”
Valera Health offers a balance of human touch and technology to support broad mental health conditions that include perinatal mental health, childhood and adolescent anxiety, OCD and depression, to schizophrenia and follow up after hospitalization.
This addition to the Blue Cross VT network makes it easier for Vermonters to connect to a mental health care team through a virtual platform. Valera’s specialized programs include serious mental illness (SMI), child and adolescent, and maternal health.
“We are proud of our partnership with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont,” Craig Albright, CEO for Valera Health, said. “Valera is aligned with an innovative health plan that believes high-quality mental health care should be affordable and accessible for all and that new models of care can achieve that. We look forward to working together to provide care for those in need throughout this state.”
“Blue Cross VT and Valera Health are joining hands to offer a lifeline of care through telehealth services,” Dr. Tom Weigel, chief medical officer at Blue Cross VT said. “With virtual therapy and medication management now accessible for individuals as young as six-years-old, these expanded services aim to foster well-being and resilience amidst the many challenges of day-to-day life. Together, we stand committed to providing our members with essential options to address mental stress and support their journey toward healing.”
To find a provider, visit www.valerahealth.com.
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