SAN FRANCISCO—UnitedHealth Group partnered with two California universities to help address a projected shortage of mental health providers within the state.

Alongside the University of San Francisco and the University of California, UnitedHealth launched a four-year- $4 million partnership to create new learning opportunities for child and adolescent psychiatry clinicians. Additionally, the partnership will offer support for child and adolescent psychiatry fellows and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners.

It will also provide scholarships and financial support to underrepresented medical and nursing students pursuing child and adolescent mental health careers.

A similar grant partnership was announced at the University of California to create opportunities for students pursuing careers in this field. The four-year, $4 million initiative will help diverse students and residents have better access to new psychiatry, clinical learning opportunities, expanded student mentoring, and new financial support.

By 2028, California will only have about half of the psychiatrists needed to serve residents in need of treatment, according to UCSF’s Phillip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies.

“One of our nation’s most pressing health care needs is the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents,” said Steve Cain, CEO of UnitedHealthcare of California, part of UnitedHealth Group. “Together with the University of California San Francisco, UnitedHealth Group is honored to help expand and diversify the healthcare workforce.”

UnitedHealth Group is a diversified health care company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and helping to ensure the health care system works better for everyone.