The U.S. is grappling with a mental health crisis. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that one in five US adults live with a mental illness. This includes disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and more, ranging in severity from mild-moderate to severe.
Telehealth has proven to be an effective tool in addressing the crisis by improving access to care, reducing stigma, and providing flexible, timely support.
Imagine 8-year-old Amanda, who has experienced bullying in her second-grade classroom. Over the past 3 months, she has been waking up frequently at night, not eating breakfast, and refusing to get on the school bus. Her parents were able to schedule an appointment with a local therapist, but this is not for another five days. This morning, Amanda woke up early and refused to go to school. Amanda’s mother is at her wit’s end and needs help. What if Amanda’s mother could use telehealth to connect with a licensed therapist to de-escalate the situation and give Amanda tools to bridge the gap until her appointment?
Just a click away, virtual on-demand can significantly improve access to care, especially for individuals in remote or underserved areas. With telehealth, geographical barriers are minimized, and patients can find available therapists quickly, which can be crucial for crisis intervention and faster outcomes. Telehealth platforms often provide immediate access to licensed mental health professionals, ensuring that help is available without the need for an appointment.
Mental health insurance surged by 83 percent from 2019 to 2023 and has continued to climb since then. As the demand for accessible mental health care increases, telehealth emerges as a solution that not only enhances accessibility but also reduces costs for both patients and health care systems. With the global telehealth market expected to grow more than 32 percent annually through 2030, the industry needs to rapidly scale to meet these needs. By reducing the need for in-person visits, telehealth could reduce costs through lower appointment fees and decreased reliance on expensive emergency and inpatient services, with outcomes that are just as good. This makes mental health care more attainable for those who are uninsured or underinsured. This approach helps alleviate the financial burden associated with travel and missed work and empowers patients to seek the support they need without logistical stress.
The convenience and flexibility of telehealth cannot be overstated. Patients can schedule therapy sessions that fit seamlessly into their busy lives, whether before school or work and access real-time support without prior appointments. This flexibility is crucial for the patients living far away from their local clinic and don’t have a reliable mode of transportation, or the parents who are juggling multiple caregiving responsibilities. Moreover, by receiving care from the comfort of home, the anxiety and stigma often tied to visiting a clinic is reduced. For providers, seeing a patient in their living situation also offers them a deeper understanding of their patients’ housing, family, and social dynamics.
Telehealth also opens the door to diverse and personalized treatment modalities. Patients can engage in therapy through video sessions or phone calls, tailoring their experience to their comfort and needs. Additionally, telehealth can connect individuals with specialists in areas such as pediatric mental health, trauma, addiction, and LGBTQ+ issues, ensuring that each patient can find the right fit for their specific challenges, even in areas where expertise is limited. For those managing chronic mental health conditions, telehealth facilitates ongoing support through regular check-ins, allowing timely adjustments to treatment plans. This integrated approach enables primary care providers to make immediate referrals to mental health specialists, enabling the patient to be seen while still in the clinic and ensuring that care is coordinated and comprehensive.
As we move forward, technology is not merely an adjunct to care, it is a catalyst for transformation, redefining how we connect, engage, and support mental health needs. And it’s only getting better. Tools like artificial intelligence can help streamline and gather patient information quickly by compiling and summarizing histories – enabling clinicians to get up to speed quickly about patients, especially in a moment of crisis intervention, and deliver timely, personalized mental health support. In addition to getting clinicians up to speed quickly, this approach helps reduce administrative burdens by automating documentation and streamlining scheduling, allowing providers to dedicate more time to patient care. Like many medical specialties, there is a growing shortage of behavioral health care professionals, and leveraging tools to reduce the administrative burden can allow providers to see more patients in a more sustainable way.
Virtual mental health support is not new, but there are more ways that mental health providers can create a more strategic, integrated digital network to support quick interventions. By addressing key barriers such as access, cost, and stigma, telehealth solutions can significantly enhance mental health outcomes for patients like Amanda. Health care leaders who adopt innovative care models can create a more accessible and responsive mental health care ecosystem that meets the urgent needs of an individual in crisis. This approach provides immediate support while fostering a sustainable network of ongoing mental health resources to mitigate crises.
Sonja Tarrago is a physician executive.
