What You Should Know:
– In line with its commitment to providing the highest quality care, Brightside Health now offers virtual intensive outpatient programs (IOP) for substance use disorder (SUD).
– Brightside Health’s acquisition of Lionrock Recovery launched this new service, enabling the company to provide comprehensive telemental health treatment for a wider range of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, alcohol use disorder, and SUD.
Revolutionising the Assistance of Patients with Substance Use Disorder
Founded in 2010, Lionrock Recovery was an early pioneer in virtual substance abuse counseling. Like Brightside Health, Lionrock Recovery emphasizes a personalized approach to care and utilizes technology to eliminate barriers for those struggling with alcohol and other substance use disorders. This acquisition advances Brightside Health’s mission of providing life-saving mental health care to everyone in need.
A survey by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services revealed that in 2022, 17% of people aged 12 or older reported a substance use disorder (SUD). Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a 39% increase in SUD cases in emergency departments (ED) from 2018 to 2021, exacerbating issues of overcrowding and overspending. Brightside Health has long collaborated with payers and health systems to deliver high-touch, tech-enabled services to acute patients discharged from the ED. With this new service, Brightside Health can now provide timely, quality treatment to countless individuals struggling to find help for SUD.
Brightside Health’s comprehensive solutions include personalized psychiatry, clinically proven therapy, Crisis Care for patients with elevated suicide risk, and now, intensive outpatient program (IOP) services for SUD. IOP services offer structured, intensive treatment for severe mental health conditions and SUD, often proving less disruptive and more cost-effective than inpatient or residential treatment programs. Participants in an IOP attend individual and group therapy sessions, engage in evidence-based lessons, receive psychiatric treatment and medication as needed, and have access to lab testing and additional peer support communities.
This latest announcement from Brightside Health follows a series of growth initiatives, including a Series C funding round, new and expanded payer partnerships with Medicaid and Medicare, and notable results from its award-winning Crisis Care program for individuals at elevated risk of suicide. By expanding into IOP for SUD, Brightside Health is now positioned to serve an even larger segment of mental health patients.
“Substance use has been catastrophic to families, communities, payers, and health systems,” said Brad Kittredge, Co-Founder and CEO of Brightside Health. “In order to fully achieve our mission, fulfill our role in the healthcare industry, and be the best partner we can be, it’s important we apply the same rigor and high-quality standards to conditions like substance use disorder as we have with mental health. With our acquisition of Lionrock Recovery, we look forward to expanding into SUD and beyond.”
