AmeriHealth Caritas Foundation Awards $100,000 Grant to Expand Youth Mental Health Support Across Idaho

FYIdaho Partnership Recognized during March 18 Idaho Steelheads Game in Boise

Boise, Idaho - The AmeriHealth Caritas Foundation announced a $100,000 grant to Families and Youth of Idaho (FYIdaho) to help expand youth mental health education, family services, and access to behavioral health resources across Idaho.

The Foundation and FYIdaho celebrated the partnership during Wednesday night’s Idaho Steelheads hockey game.

The grant supports FYIdaho’s Pathways to Potential, Wellness and Support: Families, Youth and Communities, which serves youth and families across Idaho, including in rural, tribal, and frontier communities. The initiative includes development of a comprehensive statewide behavioral health resource guide, along with providing mental health education and services to help families better navigate available resources.

“Families need clear information, trusted support, and strong community connections when they are navigating mental health needs,” said Lauren Maloney, director of the AmeriHealth Caritas Foundation. “FYIdaho is helping build that support across Idaho, and we are honored to invest in work that makes it easier for children and their caregivers to access vital services.”

In a 2024 Mental Health America report, Idaho ranked 48th in the nation for youth mental health. 

“This grant will help us expand the practical, family-centered support we provide,” said Brenda Willson, executive director of FYIdaho. “It will help us reach more youth and families, especially those in communities where behavioral health resources can be hard to access.”

Maloney, Willson and other representatives from both organizations, along with Blue, the Steelheads mascot, took to the ice during second intermission to highlight the impact of the funding.

To learn more about FYIdaho and its work, visit www.fyidaho.org.