Charlie Health, a high-acuity mental health provider, has teamed up with Cartwheel, a mental health partner for schools, the companies announced Tuesday. The mental health partnership will support more than 400,000 students in over 100 school districts.
Bozeman, Montana-based Charlie Health provides virtual mental health treatment to adolescents and adults. It offers group sessions, individual therapy and family therapy. Cartwheel, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, partners with K-12 school districts and provides virtual therapy and psychiatry.
Through the new partnership, students at schools within Cartwheel’s network in need of higher acuity care can access treatment through Charlie Health. The company can support students struggling with depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, self-harm and other conditions. Charlie Health is focused on those who require more than one session a week, or those transitioning out of emergency or residential care. The company works with patients for nine to 12 hours a week and offers flexible scheduling from Monday to Saturday so that students can keep their usual routines.
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“A key aspect of this collaboration is ensuring that students within Cartwheel’s network have access to the appropriate treatment that meets their specific needs,” said Joe English, CEO and co-founder of Cartwheel, in an email. “This is especially important for patients with more acute mental health issues, who require a higher level of care and tailored support. At Cartwheel, we’re working to simplify that process, and Charlie Health is ready to provide the additional support that these students and their families may require.”
Both companies will also offer care coordination services and regular check-ins, said Carter Barnhart, CEO and co-founder of Charlie Health.
The companies declined to share the financial arrangement of the partnership.
Currently, 40% of high school students report having persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and more than 20% of teens are seriously considering suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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“School districts across the country are stepping up to assist, but they need resources to which they can direct students and families,” Barnhart said. “Cartwheel’s extensive network and trusted reputation as a school-community partner make them an invaluable ally in addressing the unmet mental health needs of youth. By joining forces, we’re able to ensure that more students and families can access the care they need, exactly when they need it.”
By working with Cartwheel, Charlie Health aims to deepen its presence in the states in which it already operates, according to Barnhart. It currently supports patients across 37 states, while Cartwheel operates in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin. Barnhart added that Charlie Health hopes to “ensure that every individual who could benefit from our services knows about us and can easily find the support they need,” and working with schools is one way to achieve this.
Cartwheel’s goals in working with Charlie Health are to make sure fewer students “fall through the cracks, drop out of school, or end up in the ER due to unmet mental health needs,” English said.
“A key focus is suicide prevention, and we aim to create a safety net so every student can receive the support they need before reaching a crisis point,” English stated.
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