Blue Shield of California Wins National Awards for Youth Mental Health Initiative and Disability Inclusion

Blue Shield of California’s BlueSky youth mental health initiative received the 2026 North Star Award in the Healthier Lives for Members and Local Communities category, recognizing its work to expand mental‑health support for young people across the state. Launched in 2019 after California earned a D grade in youth mental‑health, BlueSky has reached more than 30,000 youth and educators and delivered over 30,543 individual, family, group and crisis‑intervention therapy sessions.

The insurer was also named a “World’s Top Disability Inclusive Business” by the 2026 Disability Index, earning a top score for its culture of belonging, accessibility, benefits, recruitment and other inclusion metrics. Executives highlighted the importance of these efforts: Mike Stuart, president and CEO, said strong mental health in childhood “lays the foundation for lifelong well‑being,” while Frank Caporusso, senior vice president, and Ellen Sexton, executive vice president, praised the organization’s commitment to reducing barriers for employees and members.