Charlie Health logo shield

About Charlie Health

Connecting
the
world
to
life-saving
mental health treatment

Our founding story

Connection

Care deeply & inspire hope

Congruence

Stay curious & heed the evidence

Commitment

Act with urgency & don’t give up

How did Charlie Health get its name?

Charlie Health’s name is a tribute to a close friend of one our co-founders who passed away too early. We firmly believe that, with the right support, their story could have had a different ending.

We understand that today, many of us have a “Charlie” – a life tragically cut short due to a lack of timely intervention and access. Our name symbolizes the human toll of the current mental health crisis and fuels our motivation to provide vital assistance, unwavering support, and a lifeline to those in need.

Our team

Co-Founders

Headshot of Carter Barnhart, CEO

Carter Barnhart

CEO & Co-Founder

“Finding the right mental health treatment as a teenager changed the trajectory of my life forever.”

My own personal experience with serious mental health issues ignited my lifelong commitment to making high-quality care accessible to young people who are profoundly struggling.

By delivering Charlie Health’s treatment programs virtually, we’re bringing evidence-based solutions to those who would otherwise be falling through the cracks. Our outcomes demonstrate that, with the right treatment, healing is possible for everyone.

Headshot of Dr. Caroline Fenkel

Dr. Caroline Fenkel, DSW, LCSW

Chief Clinical Officer & Co-Founder

“Rather than continuing to search for a solution, we decided to create it.”

As a clinician who once grappled with mental health and substance use during my teen years, I was frustrated by the lack of quality treatment options available for my clients facing similar struggles.

Many individuals with serious mental health and substance use issues find themselves cycling in and out of emergency rooms, hopeless and uncertain about where to turn. Rather than continuing to search for a solution, we decided to create it.

Through our innovative treatment model, we analyze hundreds of thousands of data points to predict successful outcomes, tailor treatment plans, and maximize treatment effectiveness.

This is how we’re able to harness the power of connection. Ensuring that our clients are receiving treatment alongside people dealing with similar issues reinforces the fact that they’re not alone. We know that connection is the antidote to all human suffering – and that’s why Charlie Health works.

Justin Weiss

Head of Corporate Strategy & Co-Founder

“Our model is going to end suicide and change mental health treatment for the better.”

Before starting Charlie Health, I was most frustrated by the community problem in mental health. We know that group is the gold standard treatment, but there are virtually zero options that are accessible.

You can find 10,000 glassblowers on Facebook and join a group to talk about glassblowing; that’s not the case for people struggling with their mental health. This model didn’t make sense to me – and it still doesn’t make sense – for the millions of people with serious mental health issues like suicidal ideation or trauma.

At Charlie Health, we bring people together because we know that they’ll get better faster when they feel seen and heard. Our groups are working much better than any other kind of traditional treatment. And they just happen to be available to everyone, at any time.

Then you add in all the amazing clinicians we hire – the best of the best from around the country – along with the software we’ve developed for them and our clients, which makes treatment easily accessible and continually improving in quality. Our model is going to end suicide and change mental health treatment for the better.

Clinical Leadership

Headshot of Stephanie Stolzenbach

Stephanie Stolzenbach, LCSW

Senior Director of Individual & Family Therapy

Headshot of NaKeya Ashe

NaKeya Ashe, MSW, LCSW

Senior Regional Clinical Director

Headshot of Ann Matino

Ann Matino, MSW, LCSW

Senior Regional Clinical Director

Headshot of Eryn Patchett

Eryn Patchett, LMFT

Senior Regional Clinical Director

Shawnna Punteney, MS, LPC

Senior Regional Clinical Director

Izabella Zant, MPH

Senior Director, Group Quality & Operations

Headshot of Dr. Eli Muhrer.

Eli Muhrer, M.D.

Medical Director

Headshot of Chelsi Clark

Chelsi Clark Ph.D., NCSP, LPC

Director of BIPOC Group Quality & DEI Initiatives

Holli Fiscus-Connon

Director of Group Experience

Headshot of Kera Passante

Kera Passante, MS, LPC, CCAT

Director of Group Experience

Alicia Richardson, LCPC

Director of Group Experience

Ashley Johnson, LCSW

Regional Clinical Director

Shanelle Holmes PhD, LMHP, NCC

Regional Clinical Director

Megan Lederman, MA, LPC

Director of Clinical Programming

Life-saving outcomes

93%

of clients reported improvements in symptoms associated with depression

91%

of clients reported improvements in symptoms associated with anxiety

89%

of clients reported improvements in self-harm

80%

reduction in suicidal ideation

National averages

1/3 of people

in the U.S. live in an area without access to appropriate mental healthcare providers

Charlie Health’s solution

100% of Charlie Health clients

are matched with a personalized care plan and Primary Therapist

$10k+

the potential yearly cost of healthcare for a person with major depression

300+ insurers

we work with to enable affordable and accessible treatment

48 days

is the national average wait time for behavioral health services

24/7 access

to our Admissions Team to get started with Charlie Health

61 million people

live with depression or anxiety in the U.S.

More than 90% of Charlie Health clients

see improvements in their severe mental health symptoms at discharge