Charlie Health, Virtual Mental Health Clinic, Expands Services to Texas

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Charlie Health, the first-of-its-kind virtual mental health clinic providing treatment programs for high-acuity patients, announced today its expansion of services into Texas. Charlie Health’s announcement marks a new, comprehensive mental health treatment option for youth and families in Texas.

Charlie Health is the first-ever virtual mental health clinic to provide access to care for millions of teens, young adults, and families experiencing mental health crises. By partnering with community stakeholders, hospitals, insurance companies, schools, and local therapists, Charlie Health provides individualized treatment for patients who require more than weekly individual therapy or who are transitioning back to home and school after residential or hospital-based treatment. 

The need for accessible mental health care is particularly urgent for youth in Texas: suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10-24. “As a native Texan, I’ve seen firsthand how devastating the lack of mental health resources is here,” said Amber Buchanan, Charlie Health’s Director of Outreach in Texas. “Research on rural mental health has found that 97% of Texans live in an area where there’s a shortage of mental health providers. Charlie Health immediately meets the needs of teens, young adults, and families who are seeking care where they are.”

Since its initial launch in Montana in September 2020, Charlie Health has expanded services to states across the country. With its launch in Texas––where a quarter of the population is under 18––the company aims to tackle the three main obstacles to mental health care: access, availability, and acceptability. To lower these barriers, the company leverages evidence-based care with accessible, video-based therapy to serve as many high-acuity patients as possible. Rather than group patients together based on their physical location, the company customizes treatment plans by carefully matching patients in groups of peers navigating similar experiences. Patients are also assigned to expert licensed therapists who specialize in their specific needs. Charlie Health believes in the power of healing from home, alongside the patient’s support system to ensure a successful and sustainable treatment experience. 

“The fact that Texas’ rates of youth depression are higher than the national average and that most of these same young people are living without appropriate support…it’s more than tragic. It’s unacceptable,” said Geanne Weaver-Hepler, Director of Outreach at Charlie Health. “Charlie Health fills a critical gap in the mental health care continuum, and I am thrilled to share its urgently-needed services with our communities in Texas.”

About Charlie Health
Charlie Health, founded in 2020, is the first-ever virtual mental health clinic for high-acuity patients, enabling increased access to care for millions. Charlie Health provides teens and young adults struggling with mental health and substance use disorders personalized Intensive Outpatient (IOP) treatment programs which consist of group therapy, individual therapy, family therapy, and psychiatric support. By providing quality, accessible behavioral health support, Charlie Health ensures that sustainable healing is available to all. To learn more, visit www.charliehealth.com.