Entrepreneur Launches Black-Owned Mental Health Insurance Credentialing Business to Address Mental Health Disparities

Nationwide — Meet Frances Latimer, Founder and CEO of Open Door Billing LLC, an MBE-certified, Black-owned company that aims to address the systemic credentialing disparities that disproportionately affect minority mental health providers, creating significant barriers in care for African American and Latino communities. Frances, who brings her journey of overcoming a severe injury to champion equal access to mental health care, says she is excited to announce its launch during Mental Health Awareness Month.

Minority mental health providers often face daunting challenges, from intricate paperwork to low reimbursement rates and high denial rates in credentialing, particularly with Medicaid and Medicare in California. Insurance credentialing, the process by which healthcare providers gain approval from insurance companies to offer covered services, is crucial for expanding patient access and ensuring mental health providers arefairly compensated. Open Door Billing provides tailored services to navigate these obstacles effectively, ensuring providers can focus on patient care without bureaucratic distractions.

Statistics show that African American and Latino communities experience substantial barriers to accessing mental health services. According to the American Psychiatric Association, only 1 in 3 African Americans who need mental health care receive it, and the figures are similarly concerning for Latinos. Open Door Billing is committed to reversing these trends by simplifying the credentialing process and supporting minority providers in overcoming systemic hurdles.

“Every provider we support brings us one step closer to a world where care is universally accessible and culturally competent. Our mission transcends business—it’s about crafting an equitable healthcare future,” says Frances, whose professional certifications in credentialing and profound personal experience in healthcare recovery inspire her leadership. Her story not only shapes the company’s ethos but also connects personally to the challenges providers and patients face.

Open Door Billing offers a suite of services crafted to support the growth and efficiency of mental health providers. Their offerings include streamlined insurance credentialing, medical billing and coding optimization, revenue cycle management, and workforce development through subsidized staffing solutions, MBE certification. These services are designed to empower providers to deliver culturally competent care efficiently.

Open Door Billing, LLC a Nationally Certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), is listed in the NMSDC national database as an NMSDC-MBE certified company. The company is based in Long Beach, California.

For more information or to schedule your coaching call, visit OpenDoorBilling.com

Be sure to also follow Open Door Billing on Instagram and Open Door Billing on Facebook.

For press inquiries, contact frances@opendoorbilling.com or 562-269-9456