What You Should Know:
– True to its mission of expanding access to care, Brightside Health now offers mental health services for teens aged 13 to 17, ensuring that younger populations have access to the care they need.
– With this expansion – and services like virtual intensive outpatient programs for substance use disorder and Crisis Care for elevated suicide risk – Brightside Health further solidifies its position as the industry’s most comprehensive telemental health care platform.
Brightside Health Expands Services to Address Growing Mental Health Crisis Among U.S. Teens
In 2023, 4.5 million U.S. adolescents aged 12 to 17 experienced a major depressive episode, yet less than one-third received appropriate mental health treatment. To address this significant gap, Brightside Health offers specialized care and support for teens and their caregivers from the convenience of home, with services available within two days, including after-school hours.
Brightside Health’s data-driven model has shown high efficacy:
– 86% of patients experience clinically significant improvement within 12 weeks
– 71% reach remission
This same evidence-based approach is now applied to teens, where a Brightside Health provider collaborates with the adolescent, and their caregiver when appropriate, to tackle challenges including:
– Peer pressure
– Social media influences
– Life transitions
– Self-esteem and body image issues
– Trauma and abuse
Treatment options are tailored to individual needs and include therapy or a combination of therapy and psychiatry services. Care is delivered through weekly video sessions, evidence-based skill-building, and progress tracking via the Brightside Health app. Caregivers also receive comprehensive support throughout the treatment process.
According to Brad Kittredge, Co-Founder and CEO of Brightside Health, “This expansion to serve teens reflects the company’s commitment to addressing critical mental healthcare challenges. Along with offerings like Crisis Care for suicide risk and Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) for substance use disorder (SUD), Brightside Health continues to be the most comprehensive telemental health platform available.” The organization is actively expanding services and working with commercial, exchange, and government payers to increase access to care for underserved populations.
Teen services are currently available in 15 states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Utah. A national rollout is planned, with Crisis Care services for teens expected by 2025. Brightside Health is also expanding coverage to Medicaid beneficiaries, which is particularly significant given that 27 million children under 18 are enrolled in Medicaid and suicide ranks as the third leading cause of death among teens aged 14 to 18.
Brightside Health is dedicated to providing life-saving care to individuals with mild to severe clinical depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders, including those at risk of suicide. With its recent acquisition of Lionrock Recovery, Brightside Health has broadened its services to include treatment for substance use disorder. The company leverages proprietary AI, specialized technology, and a network of world-class clinicians to deliver precision psychiatry and advanced therapeutic techniques. Services are accessible nationwide, with appointments available in 48 hours or less and coverage through insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid.
