Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City and Royals Announce Second Season of Shut Out the Stigma for Behavioral Health

Blue KC Will Make a Monthly Donation to a Kansas City Area Behavioral Health Organization

KANSAS CITY, MO (May 3, 2022) – For the 2022 season, a shutout performance on the mound by a Kansas City Royals pitcher in a single inning not only helps the Royals earn a victory, but also clinches a win for behavioral health in the Kansas City community. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC), the “Official Health Insurance Provider of the Kansas City Royals,” and the Royals are excited to launch the second season of Shut Out the Stigma, a partnership to provide support for behavioral health as a part of overall health and well-being.

Here’s how it works: Blue KC will donate $30 each time any Kansas City Royals pitcher records a shutout inning this season. Based on the total number of shutout innings by Royals’ pitchers each month, Blue KC will make a monthly donation to a Kansas City area behavioral health organization. Using Royals analytics, Blue KC is projected to donate a total of approximately $30,000 for the 2022 season. Targeted organizations receiving donations have a focus on mental health through participation in sports and mainly serve adolescents.

“At Blue KC, we are committed to helping reduce the stigma around behavioral health in our community. Nearly one in five Americans has a behavioral health condition like depression or anxiety, and many don’t seek treatment because it’s uncomfortable to talk about these experiences,” said Jenny Housley, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Blue KC. “We started Shut Out the Stigma to break down barriers that surround mental health and to help people see they are not alone. Our partnership with the Royals is a collaboration to improve our communities by spreading support for those who need it most.”

To help kick off Mental Health Awareness Month in May, Blue KC is proud to make its first donation of the season to The Sharewaves Foundation, which provides mental health support and high-quality sports experiences to children in under-resourced communities. Following 126 shutout innings by Royals’ pitchers in April, ShareWaves receives $3,780 as a beneficiary of this initiative. As part of the Shut Out the Stigma program in 2021, Blue KC contributed $30,000 divided among three Kansas City area Behavioral Health organizations, including First Call, Carl’s Cause and Pathway to Hope.

“Blue KC has been a tremendous leader in the advocacy of mental health awareness and education, said Sarah Tourville, Senior Vice President of Revenue, and Innovation for the Kansas City Royals. “The Royals and Blue KC will use our platforms to inspire individuals and their families to socialize their struggles and to reiterate the compassion and support from our community.”

The second season of the Shut Out the Stigma campaign is launching today with a PSA featuring Royals’ broadcaster Ryan Lefebvre that will air on Royals radio and television broadcasts in partnership with Bally Sports Kansas City, social media channels and inside Kauffman Stadium. The Royals and Blue KC will continue to create awareness for specific mental health concerns, share real-life stories from inside the organization and provide resources for those seeking help with their behavioral health. More information can be found at shutoutthestigma.com. Everyone is encouraged to join the conversation by using #ShutOutTheStigma on social media. New elements geared toward opening the dialogue between parents and kids involved with sports will be announced during the 2022 season.

For additional information, members of the media may contact Christa Dubill, VP and Chief Communications Officer for Blue KC, at 816-395-2746 or Christa.Dubill@BlueKC.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.