What You Should Know:
– Charlie Health, a provider of virtual high-acuity behavioral healthcare, has announced a major expansion of its services to include individuals ages 8 to 64. With this change, Charlie Health is directly addressing critical care gaps for younger children and midlife adults, reinforcing its position as the only provider to offer this level of care to such a broad age range at scale.
– Access to high-acuity behavioral healthcare is more critical than ever, especially for these underserved populations. Suicide rates among preteens (ages 8-12) have been rising by approximately 8% annually since 2008, yet services for this age group are scarce. Similarly, suicide remains a top 10 cause of death for adults ages 45-64, a population for whom intensive care options are often fragmented or unavailable.
Expanding Access to Virtual Behavioral Healthcare
Originally focused on teen and young adult mental healthcare, Charlie Health has been steadily broadening its scope to meet urgent needs across a wider range of conditions and populations. Earlier this year, the company introduced specialized programs for clients with primary substance use disorders. The expansion to a broader age range reflects this ongoing commitment to delivering clinically rigorous, personalized behavioral healthcare to more people at more stages of life.
Outcomes/Results Across the Age Spectrum
Outcomes from Charlie Health’s youngest and oldest clients who have completed treatment to date demonstrate the effectiveness of its programs.
- For clients 13 and younger: Measures of depression and anxiety decreased by 63% and 66%, respectively, from intake to discharge. This age group also reported a 56% decrease in missed school days and a 48% improvement in their ability to concentrate.
- For clients 46 and older: Measures of depression and anxiety decreased by 58% and 59%, respectively, from intake to discharge. Clients in this group also saw a 45% decrease in missed workdays and a 28% improvement in their ability to manage family issues.
“From the beginning, our focus has been on delivering exceptional care to the people who need it most,” said Carter Barnhart, CEO and Co-Founder of Charlie Health. “We’ve consistently heard from families, providers, and other community members about the need for treatment options for individuals beyond teens and young adults. Broadening our age range reflects our commitment to making high-acuity behavioral healthcare accessible to a wider population, ensuring more people can benefit from our proven, personalized care model at every stage of life.”
