SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--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.
In 2023, 4.5 million U.S. teens aged 12 to 17 experienced a major depressive episode, yet less than a third received mental health treatment. Brightside Health aims to bridge this gap by offering teens and their caregivers specialized care and support from the comfort of home within two days, including after-school hours.
Brightside Health’s data-driven model is highly effective: Within 12 weeks, 86% of patients experience clinically significant improvement and 71% reach remission. Applying this same rigor to treating teens, a Brightside Health provider partners with the teen, and their caregiver where appropriate, to address issues such as peer pressure, social media challenges, life transitions, self-esteem, body image, trauma, and abuse. Treatment options include therapy or a combination of therapy and psychiatry services, with weekly video sessions, evidence-based skill-building, progress tracking through the Brightside Health app, and extensive caregiver support.
“Our expansion to serve teens demonstrates meaningful progress and our deep commitment to solving the hardest problems in mental healthcare,” said Brad Kittredge, Co-Founder and CEO of Brightside Health. “Paired with offerings like Crisis Care for those with elevated suicide risk and IOP for SUD, Brightside Health is the most comprehensive telemental health care platform available. We’ll continue to expand our services; collaborate with commercial, exchange, and government payers to increase access; and advance mental health treatment 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), with plans for a national rollout. As part of its commitment to treating underserved populations, Brightside Health proudly serves Medicaid beneficiaries and will expand its offerings for teens to include Crisis Care in 2025. Considering 27 million children under the age of 18 are enrolled in Medicaid, and suicide is the third leading cause of death among teens aged 14–18 years, the need for such services is paramount.
“Our focus has always been on treating the most challenging mental health conditions,” said Dr. Mimi Winsberg, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Brightside Health. “As teens are one of the most at-risk populations, this is a meaningful expansion to support our mission. We are dedicated to applying our methods wherever the need is greatest, ensuring superior clinical outcomes and the safest care possible.”
For parents and caregivers interested in treatment options for teens, please visit www.brightside.com/teen-care to determine coverage in your area or to receive alerts about availability. If interested in partnering, visit www.brightside.com/partnerships.
About Brightside Health
Brightside Health delivers life-saving mental health care to people with mild to severe clinical depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders, including those with elevated suicide risk and, with its recent acquisition of Lionrock Recovery, substance use disorder. Powered by proprietary AI, purpose-built technology, and a world-class clinician network, Brightside Health combines precision psychiatry and leading-edge therapeutic techniques to improve patient outcomes across the entire clinical spectrum, affordably and at scale. Brightside Health can be paid for with insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid. Brightside Health is available in all 50 states and D.C. with appointments in 48 hours or less. Learn more at www.brightside.com.
