Enhanced Patient Financial Aid Fund Creates Opportunities for Patients in Need

According to recent data, the United States is experiencing a growing mental health crisis that affects all ages, and particularly young people.[1] An estimated one in five adults live with a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder and 49.5% of adolescents aged 13 to 18 are believed to have some sort of psychiatric disorder.[2]

While today’s health insurance plans do cover mental health treatment, it can be difficult for patients to find a provider who is in their network, especially in rural areas. This often results in expensive out-of-pocket treatment costs or patients opting to forgo care.[3]

In 2023, among adults aged 18 or older who had mental illness of any type in the previous year, nearly 60% did not seek treatment because they believed it would cost too much.[4] And in the same year, 25 million Americans didn’t have health insurance at all.[5]

These potential obstacles, along with the belief that everyone deserves access to excellent mental health care, are why the Silver Hill Patient Financial Aid Fund (PFAF) was created. The PFAF assists patients who cannot afford high-quality mental health and addiction treatment.

Funding Available for Patient Needs

Patient financial aid has been a priority at Silver Hill since our founding in 1931. While it was referenced as “charity” in the early days, the current PFAF has been in place for over a quarter of a century.  Thanks to Silver Hill Hospital’s philanthropic supporters, increased financial assistance is now available for adults and adolescents desiring to participate in select Silver Hill Hospital inpatient and residential programs. Each year, we award around $1 million in financial assistance. Awards range from 25% to 90% of the program charges, with an average of $30,000 per patient.

Our goal is to double the PFAF’s funds to $2 million annually from both outright and endowment funds, allowing us to impact even more people. The life-changing impact goes beyond the patient, extending to family, friends, caretakers and others who care deeply about the patient, their health, and their life.

Eligibility and How to Refer

Preference for financial aid is given to patients who meet certain qualifications. These include:

• US residents living within the United States or its territories for the past 12 months 
• Patients who have been evaluated by Silver Hill’s clinical team for appropriateness and motivation
• Patients who recently received or are currently receiving inpatient treatment at Silver Hill Hospital 

To learn more about patient eligibility for the Patient Financial Aid Fund, please send an email to SHHFinancialAssistance@silverhillhospital.org or view the Patient Financial Assistance application here. 

Our Thank You Celebration

On Thursday evening, November 14, Silver Hill celebrated the impact of our Patient Financial Aid program, sharing the stories of patients, parents, and donors whose lives have been transformed by Silver Hill. 

The voices at the event, brave and earnest, spoke of the warmth, expertise, and ‘magic’ of Silver Hill and the extraordinary gift that the Patient Financial Aid Program offers — to both recipients and donors.

[1] https://www.cdc.gov/mental-health/about/what-cdc-is-doing.html
[2] https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
[3] https://www.aamcresearchinstitute.org/our-work/issue-brief/exploring-barriers-mental-health-care-us
[4] https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt47095/National%20Report/National%20Report/2023-nsduh-annual-national.pdf, page 57
[5] https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2024/20240618.htm