Virtual psychiatric care company Talkiatry is partnering with Charlie Health, a digital high-acuity mental health provider, to support adolescents and young adults, the two companies shared with MedCity News exclusively.
New York City-based Talkiatry contracts with insurers and offers online psychiatric services for children and adults. It treats ADHD, anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression and several other conditions. Charlie Health, based in Bozeman, Montana, works with teens and young adults and offers an intensive mental health outpatient program. It provides individual, group and family therapy and also contracts with insurers. Talkiatry operates in 43 states (though its children and adolescent services are offered in 31 states), while Charlie Health operates in 27.
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The new partnership affects patients ages 11 to 33. Talkiatry patients who need more intensive care will be able to step up to treatment with Charlie Health. Then Charlie Health patients who no longer require intensive care can step down to Talkiatry to receive ongoing psychiatric care. Providers from both companies will be able to coordinate care for patients through areas like case management, discharge planning and information exchange.
This collaboration supports patients who often “struggle to navigate the maze that is mental health treatment” and don’t know how to get help or who to call, said Dr. Caroline Fenkel, chief clinical officer and co-founder of Charlie Health.
“I think with this type of a partnership, we’re in a really good position so that when a client is at Charlie Health and they’ve gotten the help that they need, they’re no longer in crisis, they now need ongoing psychiatric follow-up, they can go to Talkiatry,” Fenkel said. “Then the same way with Talkiatry. If they’re seeing a client that is suffering from a crisis and needs something more than just psychiatry, they could always come to Charlie Health.”
There is no shared revenue through the partnership, according to Robert Krayn, co-founder and CEO of Talkiatry. The companies will bill separately for their services.
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There is a dire need for more mental health support for adolescents and young adults. About one in five children in the U.S. have a mental health disorder in a given year, yet only half can access treatment. Similarly, one in five adults in the U.S. battle mental illness, and 55% don’t receive treatment.
Through the partnership, Krayn said he hopes to “make sure that the patients who need a higher level of care receive it.” Fenkel added that she wants to “take the onus off of the patient.”
“Oftentimes, in this maze of healthcare, the onus is on the patient to navigate their own care,” Fenkel said. “It’s just so sad when you look at how cancer treatment works versus mental health treatment. You don’t get referrals, you don’t get followed up. You don’t get calls back. Being able to partner with somebody that you trust, that you know is high quality is really, really powerful and beneficial for the patient.”
Several other companies offer digital mental health treatment for adolescents, including BeMe Health, Talkspace and Headspace.
Picture: Benjavisa, Getty Images
