Kansas City Royals’ Shutout Leads to Increased Behavioral Health Services through Shut Out the Stigma Initiative
For Immediate Release: July 30, 2021
For more information contact:
Kelly Cannon
Kelly.Cannon@BlueKC.com
O: 816-395-3711
M: 816-686-3842
KANSAS CITY, MO. (July 30, 2021)—Following the Kansas City Royals’ 5-0 shutout victory against the American League Central-leading Chicago White Sox on Thurs., July 29, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) is proud to donate $10,000 to First Call as part of its Shut Out the Stigma initiative.
Founded in 1958, First Call provides clinical, educational and prevention services to individuals and families in Greater Kansas City impacted by substance use disorders. The organization’s prevention and recovery services impact over 60,000 individuals each year in the Kansas City area. Additionally, First Call has the largest video and written materials library on substance use disorders and recovery in the metro area.
Shut Out the Stigma is a partnership between Blue KC, the “Official Health Insurance Provider of the Kansas City Royals”, and the Royals to provide support for behavioral health as a part of overall health and well-being. The initiative drives awareness of behavioral health by sharing real-life stories from Kansas City Royals players and leaders in the community. To further advance behavioral health in Kansas City, Blue KC agreed to donate $10,000 to support community-based behavioral health organizations each time the Kansas City Royals win in a shutout, meaning the opposing team does not score. First Call is the first recipient of Blue KC’s Shut Out The Stigma donation.
“The stigma associated with behavioral health is a significant barrier to seeking care and treatment,” said Jenny Housley, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Blue KC. “Normalizing the conversation around behavioral health is critical to improving access to and use of behavioral health services. We are proud to partner with the Kansas City Royals to support First Call, an organization that offers life-saving support to Kansas Citians struggling with addiction or substance use.”
To learn more about the Shut Out the Stigma initiative, please visit ShutOutTheStigma.com.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, the largest not-for-profit health insurer in Missouri and the only not-for-profit commercial health insurer in Kansas City, has been part of the Kansas City community since 1938. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City provides health coverage services to more than one million residents in the greater Kansas City area, including Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas and 30 counties in Northwest Missouri. Our mission: to provide affordable access to healthcare and to improve the health of our members. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information on the company, visit its website at BlueKC.com.
