October 31, 2024 /3BL/ - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation announced Teva Pharmaceuticals as a winner of the 25th Annual Citizens Awards, a long-standing program that honors businesses for their leadership in solving the world’s biggest challenges. Teva was nominated for the “Best Health and Wellness Program” award for its efforts in conjunction with Direct Relief to promote health equity in mental health.

The award winners were revealed during the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Business Solves Conference on October 29, 2024, in Washington, D.C. The Annual Citizens Awards recognize the most innovative and impactful initiatives that leverage a company’s talent, resources, and expertise to improve communities.

The company was honored for the “Community Routes: Access to Mental Health Care” program, which helps uninsured patients access healthcare for anxiety and depression, and is a partnership between Direct Relief, the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) and Teva Pharmaceuticals.

“Access to holistic, culturally-appropriate mental health care is critically important, often to a lifesaving extent,” said Katie Lewis, Director of U.S. Programs for Direct Relief. “Direct Relief is privileged to work with Teva and NAFC to increase that access to care, and this program is a wonderful example of partnerships that make a positive impact on people’s lives. This recognition shines a bright light on the essential work free and charitable clinics do every day in service of their patients.”

The program provides access to a portfolio of donated medicines for anxiety and depression, valued at over $17 million; Teva has committed $2 million of grant funding over two years to free and charitable clinics that care for uninsured patients.

The program was launched in June 2022, following which the pilot states of Florida, New Jersey, and California received product donations and subsequently grant funding to selected clinics.