IEHP earns two national Public Relations Society of America awards for mental health campaign

Inland Empire Health Plan’s (IEHP) “Start the Conversation” youth mental health campaign received national awards at the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) 2026 Anvil Awards on May 14 in New York City.

The annual awards recognized campaigns across the country that set the standard for industry excellence in media and communications. IEHP won a Bronze Anvil Award for Media Relations, Government and an Award of Excellence for Influencer Marketing, Macro-Influencer.

IEHP’s wins represent the first time a local health plan in California has earned national PRSA honors.

“We are proud to represent the Inland Empire on a national stage,” said IEHP Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Michelle Rai. “Our campaign was designed to educate and inspire young people as they navigate mental health challenges with courage, vulnerability and hope. Knowing our work touched real lives fuels our commitment to serving our members every day.”

IEHP partnered with 2024 “American Idol” winner and former IEHP member Abi Carter, along with public relations agency Meehan Business Advisers, for the yearlong campaign. Social media videos, community events, local high school partnerships, national publications, public service announcements and media engagements all played a crucial role in the campaign’s success and reach.

“We’re incredibly proud of what our team achieved with the ‘Start the Conversation’ campaign, but none of it would have been possible without IEHP’s vision, leadership and unwavering commitment to this cause,” said Andrew Meehan, president of Meehan Business Advisers. “IEHP’s dedication to breaking the stigma around youth mental health and truly making a difference in the community inspired everything we did together.”

Prior to the Anvil Awards, “Start the Conversation” was named “Best in the West” by PRSA’s Western District Conference in February.

IEHP earned five additional awards from PRSA during its 2025 awards season, including “Best in Show” at PRSA - Los Angeles chapter’s PRism Awards.

PRSA is the nation’s largest professional public relations association with more than 30,000 members representing 400 chapters across the U.S. To learn more about PRSA, go to www.prsa.org.

For resources on how to “Start the Conversation” about mental health with your loved ones, visit www.iehp.org/mentalhealth.

With a mission to heal and inspire the human spirit, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) is one of the top 5 largest Medicaid health plans, the largest not-for-profit Medicare-Medicaid public health plan in the country, and for the sixth year in a row, certified as A Great Place To Work®. Founded in 1996, IEHP supports 1.4 million Riverside and San Bernardino County residents enrolled in Medicaid or IEHP DualChoice (those with both Medi-Cal and Medicare). IEHP also offers Covered California plans, further ensuring health care access for even more IE residents. Today, IEHP has a robust network of quality doctors throughout our two counties and nearly 3,800 team members who are fully committed to the vision: We will not rest until our communities enjoy optimal care and vibrant health. To learn more, go to iehp.org.