Your Hope Center Expands Partnership With Vail Health

Facing funding and regulatory changes, Your Hope Center expands partnership with Vail Health and will begin billing commercial health insurance for its school-based clinical services and community stabilization services this summer.

“It wasn’t the county pulling funds, changing funds. This is us all working together to say, ‘How does this whole model work best long-term?’ And so we’re doing it together,” said Chris Lindley, Vail Health’s chief population officer and executive director of Vail Health Behavioral Health.

Lindley added that Vail Health has been working alongside the county to identify organizations receiving funding from the marijuana tax that have alternative funding options. Your Hope Center is one of the organizations that can bill insurance for its services, he said.

“There’s other partners that just don’t have services that we can bill for at all,” Lindley added.

Assistance Through Olivia’s Fund

Currently, students are referred to Your Hope Center clinicians throughout the school day — from teachers, administrators, councilors, etc. — something that will not change moving forward.

“If they need financial assistance with that copay or if their family has a high deductible plan, they are going to get that through Olivia’s Fund,” said Carrie Benway, executive director of Your Hope Center.

Olivia’s Fund is a program of Vail Health that provides six free therapy sessions per year for youth and uninsured adults in Eagle County who demonstrate financial need.

New Partnership

Under the partnership with Vail Health, Your Hope Center will operate under one billing system.

“When we look back at all the things that we’ve accomplished over the last four years, this (school-based clinical program) always rises to the top of one of the most impactful things we’ve done. And by working collaboratively with Your Hope Center, the school district, and Vail Health, we’re going to ensure that these services stay in place for years to come,” Lindley said.

Read the full article on VailDaily.com