MentalHappy Addresses the Nation’s “Mental Health Tsunami” by Expanding Access to Care With Professionally Led Peer Support Groups
The Y Combinator-backed health-tech platform is empowering health and wellness professionals to meet the growing demand for mental health care.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Access to mental health care is a growing national health crisis. A 2021 National Council for Mental Wellbeing report states that there is a severe shortage of mental health providers in 77% of counties across the United States. The CEO of the American Psychological Association has called the current crisis a “Mental Health Tsunami.” Fortunately, Tamar Blue, the founder and CEO of MentalHappy, Inc saw the writing on the wall long before COVID, and began developing a platform that is now building an army of stormtroopers to address the tsunami and expand access to mental health care.
“There are only 30 licensed therapists for every 100,000 people in the U.S. There just isn’t enough “human-power” to meet the tsunami-level demand,” states MentalHappy Founder and CEO Tamar Blue. “While there are more platforms with therapists, often it’s the same therapists on multiple platforms and 46% of therapists say they are overwhelmed and burned out. What we have to do is expand access to mental health care by allowing trained health and wellness professionals from a variety of backgrounds to lead peer support groups–as a way to serve more individuals and bridge the provider gap,” Blue states.
Seven months after the launch of the MentalHappy mobile apps on iOS and Android, the platform has proof of concept that the model works. Hundreds of members are taking part in over 50 tailored and professionally-led online support groups that address a full-range of topics and everyday “life events”–including, infertility, work-life balance, anxiety and stress, addiction recovery, divorce, caregiver support, coping with aging, and other sensitive topics.
Blue credits the platform’s incredibly dedicated Support Group Leaders for greatly contributing to the success of MentalHappy. “I’m both ecstatic and grateful to hear the testimonies of members whose lives have been positively impacted by our platform–as well as the feedback from Support Group Leaders whose businesses have blossomed. We provide the technology, but at the end of the day, it’s the expertise and care and concern shown by the Support Group Leaders and other members that make MentalHappy the special place that it is,” Blue affirms.
Often referred to as the Patreon for Mental Health Professionals, MentalHappy’s platform is designed to simplify the life of a practitioner/Support Group Leader by providing a safe, simple platform for servicing small groups and earning on-going revenue.
As the leading mental health peer support group app, MentalHappy provides its Support Group Leaders and members with the following key features and benefits:
- Safe & Secure: HIPAA compliant, secure platform and safe space for healing and growth.
- Simple Discovery: Members find new groups easily using the simple search tool.
- Anonymity: Group members have the ability to join groups anonymously.
- Transparent Pricing: Support Group Leaders set the fee for each group and the fee is clearly stated. No hidden fees.
- Revenue Stream: Support Group Leaders earn income from their group fee and by making one’s products and services available.
For many of MentalHappy’s Support Group Leaders, the biggest benefit has been the platform’s ability to help them expand mental health care to more individuals and get discovered by new individuals. For those who find themselves at capacity in their own practices, MentalHappy allows practitioners to virtually service groups of individuals at one time—thereby supplementing a client’s need for additional sessions, as well as creating opportunities to engage new clients who need a safe space to heal.
“With so many individuals needing mental health support today, it’s been almost impossible to meet the demand. MentalHappy has created a way for me to help more individuals by offering peer support groups and it’s been great for my business,” shares Dr. April Givens who leads a support group entitled, Anxiety and Stress Management with Dr. Givens.
Backed by Y Combinator, the startup accelerator that brought the world such household names as AirBnB, Dropbox, DoorDash and Stripe, MentalHappy has positioned itself as a leader in the wellness market by providing a solution to a $300 Billion health care crisis in the United States alone. MentalHappy achieved its seed-round raise of $1.2 million in 2021, led by Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures.
MentalHappy is adding new Support Group Leaders and new groups weekly. The platform accepts health and wellness professionals in any of the following professions: Psychology, Psychiatry, Naturopathy, General Practitioner (MD), Acupuncture (Eastern Medicine), Certified Wellness/Life Coach, Fitness, Certified Peer Group Specialist and Experienced Educator (Teacher).Visit http://MentalHappy.com/leader to learn more.
About MentalHappy
MentalHappy is a Y Combinator-backed mental health platform on a mission to make mental health care an accessible, affordable and stigma-free reality for everyone. Founded by Tamar Blue, MentalHappy strives to be culturally sensitive and is the first online mental health platform designed to provide people of all races, genders and economic statuses a safe and secure platform to talk about emotional health, the challenges they face in their daily lives, and receive support from others who understand what they’re experiencing. With free mental health resources and professionally-led support groups, MentalHappy is making it possible for everyone to get the emotional help they deserve without financial or physical limitations. To learn more, host a peer group or become a MentalHappy shareholder, visit http://MentalHappy.com.
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SOURCE MentalHappy, Inc.
