May 20, 2025 9:09am
Humana Foundation and Greater Louisville, Inc. Expand Mental Health Services Across Louisville Region
Immediately following the tragic mass shooting in April 2023 at Old National Bank in downtown Louisville, Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI) and the Humana Foundation launched a partnership that has already begun reshaping access to mental health care across the region.
In just over a year, GLI, Louisville’s Metro Chamber of Commerce and the Humana Foundation’s grant funding has connected more than 4,500 individuals to mental health services, enabled local organizations to hire 31 new providers to address diverse mental health needs, and established partnerships with 25 local nonprofits, education institutions and community partners in the mental health space.
“The opportunity to partner with the Humana Foundation to grow the number of mental health providers in our region and support members of our community was incredibly impactful,” GLI president and CEO Sarah Davasher-Wisdom said. “This grant program made a direct impact on the lives of Louisvillians and increased capacity to help those struggling with mental health challenges. We know that a healthier community is a more productive and prosperous community, so this program was equally important in supporting our regional workforce and economy.”
GLI and the Humana Foundation officially launched their partnership by awarding grants to six local organizations from a competitive pool of 41 applicants. These organizations were chosen for their commitment to addressing critical shortages in mental health care services, particularly for underserved populations.
Grant recipients included:
- Bridge Counseling
- Maryhurst
- Kentucky Psychological Foundation
- Martin and Muir
- Mindsight
- Oasis
“The traumatic event in April (of 2023) and the tragedies that have occurred since have highlighted the need for increased mental health support for our people in our community,” Humana Foundation CEO Tiffany Benjamin said in an announcement of a $1 million pledge to support mental health services in greater Louisville. “We’re acting quickly to improve mental health quality and outcomes in the short-term, while continuing our focus on addressing access and stigma issues in the long-term. We hope this effort will help to heal and strengthen our community, while addressing a very real and urgent crisis.”
Additional funding was also provided by organizations including Brown-Forman, Chrysalis, Elite Homes, Fifth Third Securities, Inc., Kirchdorfer Opportunities Foundation, The Koetter Group, LG&E and KU Energy LLC, Millennium Events and Old National Bank.
Program Achievements:
- Served or connected 4,514 individuals to mental health services across 179 zip codes.
- Hired 31 new providers to address diverse mental health needs.
- Established or expanded 25 partnerships with local nonprofits, education institutions and community organizations.
- Bridge Counseling and Wellness focused on non-English speaking populations, forming new partnerships with organizations such as La Casita, Americana, Cielo Breathwork Studio and Gilda’s Club.
- The Kentucky Psychological Foundation (KPF) and Jewish Family and Career Services (JFCS) hired a post-doctoral fellow who has developed an internship model to create new opportunities to increase the pool of mental health providers.
- Oasis TMS added new technology and staff, resulting in a 16% increase in annual patient visits, a reduced waiting time of two weeks for evaluations and a 20% increase in annual evaluations.
- Collectively, recipients participated in community events aimed at eliminating stigma around mental health services.
“The Humana Foundation took an active role through this grant in supporting inclusivity and mental healthcare access,” Bridge Counseling and Wellness co-founder and CEO Nicole Sartini said. “The Humana Foundation provided our women-owned businesses a grant that allowed us to hire more Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and Spanish speaking providers, increased our ability to serve a broader range of individuals and zip codes and allowed us to offer direct services to uninsured or underinsured individuals with a focus on our Spanish speaking immigrant communities at no cost to these clients. This opportunity helped grow other meaningful partnerships between Bridge Counseling and Wellness and La Casita Center, Gilda’s Club and other organizations doing important heart-led work in this community.”
As the partnership evolves, GLI and the Humana Foundation aim to further expand these services to meet Louisville’s long-term mental health needs. With early momentum established, the collaboration is well-positioned to continue improving access and outcomes across the region.
“At the Humana Foundation, we believe health outcomes begin with access,” Benjamin said. “This partnership shows what’s possible when we invest in people, providers and purpose. The work is ongoing and we’re proud to stand alongside community partners committed to expanding equitable mental health care.”