UPMC Health Plan and Community Care Behavioral Health Earn Top Awards as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality”

PITTSBURGH (Jan. 27, 2020) – UPMC Health Plan and Community Care Behavioral Health recently earned top scores of 100 percent and the distinction of being a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality” from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2020 Corporate Equality Index, the national benchmarking tool related to corporate policies and practices for LGBTQ employees.

This year marks the second consecutive year that the Human Rights Campaign has awarded its top score to UPMC Health Plan, after also receiving a 100 percent score in 2019. In its first year applying for the award, Community Care Behavioral Health also earned the top score.

“Earning top honors two years in a row illustrates UPMC Health Plan’s commitment to providing the best overall experience for members of the LGBTQ community,” said Diane Holder, president and CEO at UPMC Health Plan. “We encourage all of our employees and members to live a healthy life as we strive to become a national model for how an integrated delivery and financing system cares for and supports our LGBTQ colleagues and members.”

“Fostering a culture that is welcoming and in which everyone feels empowered is one of our core values at Community Care Behavioral Health,” said Dr. Matthew Hurford, president and CEO at Community Care Behavioral Health Organization. “Earning the top score from the Human Rights Campaign reinforces our belief that equality starts with treating everyone with dignity and respect.”

Over the past several years, UPMC Health Plan has expanded several initiatives designed to meet the needs of LGBTQ members and employees, including:

• Multidisciplinary Team for Transgender Members – UPMC Health Plan has a specially-trained multidisciplinary team consisting of member services representatives, health coaches, prescription drug experts, and care management professionals to help appropriately and effectively answer members’ questions related to transgender-specific issues, including those related to insurance coverage details, provider referrals, hormone replacement therapy, community support groups, and related issues.
• LGBTQ Culturally Competent Physicians and Providers – UPMC Health Plan members have access to hundreds of UPMC self-identified LGBTQ culturally competent health care providers across Pa., including primary care physicians, endocrinologists, ob-gyns, plastic surgeons, psychiatrists, and other specialty care providers who specialize in the LGBTQ community.
• Employee Experience & Staff Training – To best meet the needs of the LGBTQ community, UPMC Health Plan partners with several local, state, and national organizations and develops training materials that are provided to all staff, including member-facing employees. UPMC Health Plan and the Center for LGBTQ Research at the University of Pittsburgh also partnered to create LGBTQ health focus groups to further understand community needs and potential positive interventions and strategies.

Community Care Behavioral Health offers comprehensive and inclusive employee benefits and training for members of the LGBTQ community. Highlights of Community Care’s offerings include:

• Cultural Competency Trainings – Community Care offers LGBTQ inclusion and cultural competency trainings that highlight the importance of inclusive provider policies and practices for substance use disorder treatment, as well as trainings that focus on transgender children enrolled in residential treatment.
• LGBTQ Support – Community Care remains an active and ongoing sponsor of numerous LGBTQ organizations and its employees have been participants in several regional and statewide LGBTQ advisory groups.

UPMC Health Plan members interested in learning more are encouraged to call Member Services at 1-844-202-0126 (or 711 for TTY) or the phone number on the back of their insurance card.

Community Care Behavioral Health members interested in learning more are encouraged to call 1-800-553-7499 or visit www.ccbh.com.

###

About UPMC Insurance Services Division

The UPMC Insurance Services Division is owned and operated by the UPMC, a world-renowned health care provider and insurer based in Pittsburgh, Pa. The UPMC Insurance Services Division—which includes UPMC Health Plan, WorkPartners, UPMC for Life, UPMC for You, UPMC for Kids, and Community Care Behavioral Health—offers a full range of group health insurance, Medicare, Special Needs, CHIP, Medical Assistance, behavioral health, employee assistance, and workers' compensation products and services to over 3.7 million members. For more information, visit www.upmchealthplan.com.