Blue Cross NC Foundation investment expands NC-STeP program

Blue Cross NC Foundation investment expands NC-STeP program

GREENVILLE, N.C. (5/12/2026) - A new $1.5 million investment from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation (Blue Cross NC Foundation) will expand the North Carolina Statewide Telepsychiatry Program (NC-STeP) within the East Carolina University Center for Telepsychiatry and e-Behavioral Health and help improve care for thousands across the state.

Through this expansion, NC-STeP will help integrate psychiatric expertise into campus health services at UNC Pembroke (UNCP), supporting earlier identification of mental health needs, faster access to treatment, and improved care coordination without requiring students to leave campus.

This support builds on the success of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina's (Blue Cross NC) 2022 effort to expand NC-STeP at Elizabeth City State University (ECSU), which placed mental health providers on campus to help students get faster, more coordinated care.

"We are grateful for this new support from the Blue Cross NC Foundation to address the health care needs of college students," ECU Chancellor Philip Rogers said. "This grant will allow us to build on the innovative work of NC-STeP in leveraging technology to provide care in the region and across the state. Partnership is critical to responding to the needs of our region, and it adds immense pride that ECU is working across the UNC System with our colleagues at UNC-Pembroke to address the healthcare needs of students."

NC-STeP uses telehealth to connect patients in hospital emergency departments and community-based settings with expert psychiatric care. NC-STeP plays a critical role in expanding access to behavioral health care in communities with limited provider availability, including Robeson County, where UNCP is located.

Dr. Sy Saeed, executive director of NC-STeP and director of the ECU Center for Telepsychiatry and e-Behavioral Health, said the partnership is essential because it brings high-quality psychiatric care to a campus and region that currently lack it.

"It is grounded in the principle that there is no health without mental health," Saeed said. "Ultimately, the grant will help NC-STeP build a sustainable, data-driven mental health system that improves outcomes for UNCP students and creates a replicable model for other campuses."

The investment will fund the on-campus behavioral health manager, psychiatric consultation time, telehealth equipment, EHR integration, and staff training required to launch the integrated care program within Student Health Services. Saeed said that implementation of the program is planned for March-August 2026, with long-term goals to build a sustainable, multi-campus system of integrated mental health care, expand tele-mental health capacity, and strengthen mental health literacy across the UNC system.

"By embedding NC-STeP's integrated, telepsychiatry-enabled care model directly into Student Health Services, the partnership ensures students can access timely, evidence-based mental health support in a familiar, low-stigma environment," Saeed said. "It strengthens UNCP's ability to manage rising acuity, reduces reliance on emergency departments, and helps students remain healthy, engaged, and academically successful."

Research shows that 75% of lifetime mental health disorders emerge by age 24, underscoring the importance of early identification and timely support for college students. Colleges and universities are uniquely positioned to provide mental health care alongside academic, physical health, and social supports. For campuses in rural communities, access to mental health services often remains limited due to provider shortages, transportation barriers, and long wait times, making new care delivery models essential to support student health and well-being.

"Patients with untreated behavioral health needs often experience worsening health outcomes and increased medical complexity, leading to higher health care costs across the system," said Brian Brooks, vice president of behavioral health at Blue Cross NC. "This innovative partnership with NC-STeP helps address the growing mental health needs of students by bringing mental health care closer to where they live and learn, reducing barriers to accessing care and supporting better health and well-being for students across North Carolina."

NC-STeP, established in 2013, is a nationally recognized model for expanding access in underserved communities. To date, the program has completed more than 70,000 psychiatric assessments in hospital emergency departments, delivered over 42,000 patient visits in primary care settings, and screened more than 47,000 children in pediatric clinics for mental health conditions.

This investment is part of Blue Cross NC's broader commitment to supporting the mental well-being and resiliency of all young people across North Carolina. Blue Cross NC, the leading not-for-profit health plan in North Carolina, is committed to improving the health and well-being of its customers and communities. Learn more at www.bluecrossnc.com/ymh.

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