Behavioral health
Investing in the mental and emotional health of Minnesotans
Behavioral health is an umbrella term used to refer to mental health, suicidal thoughts, and substance use disorders. Behavioral health includes mental and emotional well-being, along with behaviors that impact overall health. It also covers the systems and services that promote well-being, prevent mental health challenges, and deliver care for mental health conditions and substance use disorders.
Behavioral health is a fundamental component of individual, family, and community wellness. It plays a significant role in how people think, feel, and function in their daily lives. Across the nation, there is an urgent and growing need for behavioral healthcare. Approximately 1 in 5 U.S. adults (over 59 million) live with a mental illness and more than 15 million people in the U.S. currently have unmet behavioral health needs. Behavioral health is also a significant contributor to the cost of healthcare, accounting for an estimated 57% of healthcare spending.
Blue Cross invests in real community solutions while increasing awareness of the complexities and stigma surrounding behavioral health. This approach helps meet people where they are, improves behavioral health outcomes, and advances a society where everyone can live their healthiest life.
Current initiatives and programs
Proactive efforts to improve behavioral health outcomes
The Art of Being Me
A partnership between Blue Cross and the Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities has helped to expand access to art therapy and mental health resources for Minnesota teens. This project is part of a larger effort by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association to fight the growing youth mental health crisis.
In 2025, members of the Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities identified poor mental health as one of the greatest challenges they are facing. Most club members also said they faced challenges in having honest conversations with their parents about their mental health. In response to these findings, Blue Cross provided free art therapy kits to teens, including resources for parents to guide conversations about mental health. Each kit includes a self-guided workbook called The Art of Being Me, art supplies, and mental health resources.
The Art of Being Me workbook opportunities for self-guided, trauma-informed care that requires no prior artistic skill. Along with the kits, Blue Cross partnered with the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), so each club could visit Mia for a guided tour and a workshop on art therapy, giving them more tools to manage mental health challenges.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Center for Rural Behavioral Health
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Center for Rural Behavioral Health at Minnesota State University, Mankato is one of the first rural behavioral health centers in the nation. Rural communities face significant barriers to accessing behavioral health services.
The Center for Behavioral Health has helped to improve access to behavioral healthcare for residents in rural Minnesota and tribal communities. It also helps to develop and implement best practices on ways to strengthen behavioral health capabilities in non-metropolitan areas, with a focus on research, workforce development, and continuing education and customized training.
Past achievements
An ongoing commitment to strengthening behavioral health
The Recovery Road: The Recovery Road is a long-distance walk to honor lives lost to suicide, raise awareness, reduce stigma and fund critical treatment services.
Minnesota North College of the Mesabi Range: This collaboration supported rural communities by expanding the substance use disorder workforce through targeted education support and services that helped reduce barriers for students pursuing careers in addiction counseling.
Sources
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt39443/2021NSDUHFFRRev010323.pdf
https://www.aamc.org/news/growing-psychiatrist-shortage-enormous-demand-mental-health-services