With the help of a $50,000 grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana, the Alluvion Health Foundation is making significant progress towards establishing a state-of-the-art mobile autism clinic. This grant will help in securing a mobile clinic similar to Alluvion’s current mobile health clinic, which aims to reduce waiting times and provide much-needed autism therapy and diagnostic services.
Teresa Schreiner, Executive Director of the Alluvion Health Foundation, expressed the importance of this mobile clinic in providing services to under-served areas of North Central Montana. By eliminating long waitlists and reducing costs of care, the clinic will have a profound impact on children and families in the region.
Currently, the waitlist for autism services in Montana is two years long, leaving many families without access to the necessary services. With a national statistic of one in 36 children being diagnosed with autism, there is a significant need for increased access to services and diagnosis in the state.
The grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana is part of their Big Blue Sky Initiative program, which aims to support local healthcare initiatives that benefit communities in need. Alluvion Health Foundation plans to use the grant to address immediate needs in their service area before expanding their services on the road.
Schreiner emphasized the importance of early intervention in autism diagnosis and treatment, as it leads to better developmental outcomes for children. With the support of this grant, Alluvion Health Foundation is closer to reaching their goal of establishing a mobile autism clinic and providing crucial services to families in need.
