Healthcare Leaders Discuss Strategies for Teen Mental Health Safe Spaces

The Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF) Board of Trustees convened September 8 to focus on one of its top priorities: ensuring access to teen mental health prevention and early intervention services and safe spaces.

The centerpiece of the meeting was a policy panel on funding strategies for teen mental health safe spaces, introduced and led by JHF Chief Policy Officer Robert Ferguson, MPH. Panelists included Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis, State Senator Jay Costa, State Representative Jessica Benham, Community Care Behavioral Health President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Matthew Hurford, and Highmark Health Director of Behavioral Health Demetrios Marousis, MA, MBA, LPC.

The discussion centered on how Pennsylvania’s state budget and private health plans could help sustain and expand teen mental health prevention and early intervention services.

Lieutenant Governor Davis emphasized his commitment to elevating youth voices and noted the significant return on investment for community safety and mental health programs, urging advocates to keep voicing their concerns with legislators.

Representative Benham praised JHF’s leadership on teen mental health and underscored the unique pressures facing young people today, particularly from technology and social media. She reaffirmed her commitment to advancing teen mental health during discussion of the state budget.

Senator Costa expressed optimism that budget negotiations will soon come to a close, helping to unlock needed funding.

Health plan leaders Dr. Hurford and Marousis discussed the importance of engaging community-based organizations early, exploring satellite locations for already licensed providers, and developing sustainable reimbursement models that account for the long-term nature of youth mental health needs.

This Board meeting built on momentum from August’s Health Career Futures Board meeting, where local organizations—including Persad Center, UpStreet, the Beacon, and the Boys & Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania—shared their experiences with service delivery and financing strategies for teen mental health programs.