On average, three-quarters of lifetime mental health conditions are established by age 24, but healthcare systems globally are behind the curve. An estimated 20 million young people in the U.S. have a mental health condition, but only 20% of those receive care. The crisis is worsened by the soaring costs of mental healthcare and an unprecedented shortage of clinicians.
Digital mental health solutions are critical to expanding access to care, especially among younger populations. By incorporating these services, such as telehealth and similar apps and platforms, insurers can help young people overcome barriers to care, reduce stigma, and ultimately promote healthier communities.
Increasing accessibility and reducing the stigma of mental healthcare
For young people in underserved areas, provider access and other challenges like food insecurity or lack of transportation, often make in-person therapy or counseling sessions very difficult. Telehealth and virtual care solutions remove this barrier by providing access via digital devices like smartphones and tablets. By making mental health support available from any location, insurers can help close gaps in care for patients who might otherwise go without support.
Digital platforms also offer safe, private options for teens to access care. By accessing mental health services from home or any other private setting, young people can engage more comfortably and take advantage of early intervention resources.
Research indicates that almost all teens and young people benefit from access to evidence-based approaches that enhance skills, improve mental health management, and build resilience. This population health approach can help build healthier, more resilient communities, and prevent more serious mental health challenges in the future.
Normalizing mental health support through digital platforms
Today’s young people are embedded in the digital world. Meeting them where they are — on digital devices – means mental health services are more approachable and accessible. Digital solutions offer a variety of support delivery methods, such as text-based interactions, video sessions, and the ability to tap into app-based, self-help resources on demand.
Early digital interventions can play a critical role in preventing mental health challenges from escalating. By offering youth access to preventative care, insurers can reduce the need for more intensive (and costly) care in the future.
Kooth offers free, safe, responsive, and anonymous online digital mental health services for young people. Worldwide, Kooth empowers 17 million users to navigate daily challenges like anxiety, stress, sleep issues, trauma, relationships, and loneliness. At Kooth, we have decades of real-world outcomes and research that demonstrate a preventative population health model for mental health services leads to better clinical and financial outcomes.
By supporting today’s youth, this shift can reduce the rising demand and unsustainable costs of future mental health treatments.
Building resilience for future impact
Preventative mental health care goes beyond cost savings. By promoting mental wellness from an early age, digital health solutions build resilience that will benefit both individuals and society in the future. Mentally healthy youth are more likely to perform well academically, have positive relationships, and transition into a healthy workforce. This development of “brain capital” is a crucial factor for insurers and society as a resilient and mentally well workforce can contribute to long-term economic stability and innovation.
In the U.S., Kooth has expanded partnerships with state governments, education providers, and health plans with Soluna by Kooth, offered in several states at no cost to the user.
In California, Soluna was launched in early 2024 in partnership with the California Department of Health Care Services, part of Governor Newsom’s $4.6 billion Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative. It now brings millions of young people, ages 13 to 25, access to free mental health support. Early data shows Soluna reaching diverse populations across the state. More than half (53%) of these users live in underserved communities, as measured by the Healthy Places Index, and 32% report speaking one or more languages other than English. Plus, users like what they see, as 97% of Soluna content is up-voted, with 95% of users recommending Soluna to a friend.
In partnership with Aetna Better Health of Illinois, Soluna by Kooth provides digital mental health services for area youths including coaching, self-guided tools, and therapeutic content. Aetna’s decision to partner with Soluna demonstrates its commitment to helping build mentally resilient populations and closing the mental healthcare gap in Illinois.
This early data indicates Soluna is inclusive and accessible, reaching diverse young people through a platform that resonates with them.
Integrating digital mental health platforms into existing systems
As mental health needs continue to rise, digital health solutions offer an effective way for insurers to expand access, reduce costs, and build a resilient, mentally healthy generation. Offering digital tools can provide valuable, scalable support and preventative care that can easily be integrated into insurance frameworks.
This cost-effective solution complements traditional mental health services. What’s more, the shared vision of support sets a precedent for impactful solutions that address the complex and pressing issue of youth mental health through inclusive care, early intervention, and a focus on holistic well-being.
