SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Calm introduces Calm Health, a mental health care solution for payers, providers and self-insured employers designed to bridge the gap between mental and physical health care. Calm Health will offer clinical condition-specific mental health programs along with tools to support provider and caregiver communication, medication tracking and more that can be easily integrated into existing health technology systems.
Mental and physical health are deeply intertwined, yet the current healthcare system is fragmented. In the U.S., ⅔ of primary care physicians are unable to refer patients to mental health services that are related to a physical health condition, even though many of these conditions can lead to anxiety and depression (Harvard Medical School). And, when anxiety and depression are coupled with chronic conditions, we see an increase to the total cost of care for the system (National Library of Medicine).
“Calm Health will play a defining role in the future of how we care for our health, providing the first-ever solution for payers and providers to treat mental and physical health simultaneously,” said David Ko, Calm CEO. “Through work with partners, we will give millions of people access to the care they need, resulting in decreased comorbidities and overall cost of care.”
Users will gain access to Calm Health through their health insurance plan, care provider or employer. Once they have access, they will be prompted to complete an in-app survey to identify the care plan that meets their specific needs. Calm Health is designed to comply with HIPAA and other privacy and security standards.
“Our current healthcare system needs to evolve to meet the growing demands of our populations,” said Martha Temple, former CEO, Optum Behavioral Health. “Technology like Calm Health will play a significant role in this evolution by increasing access to quality, evidence-based mental health resources and filling critical gaps between medical and behavioral healthcare.”
Calm Health’s clinical programs will support users experiencing mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, as well as offer guided plans for users to prepare for therapy or utilize in-between therapy sessions. Additional programs will be added in the future to provide mental health support for physical conditions such as hypertension, obesity, heart disease, cancer and more that impact over 60 percent of the U.S. population (CDC).
“There is a noticeable shift happening in healthcare,” said Jack Rowe, former Chairman and CEO of Aetna. “Hospitals, payers, employers are recognizing the need for solutions that support a person’s whole health. Calm Health has the potential to be one of the key solutions to address this shift and evolve current care offerings.”
The mental health programs are developed by a team of clinical experts led by Calm’s Chief Clinical Officer Chris Mosunic in collaboration with the brand’s industry-leading content team to provide engaging and outcome-based programs. The plans will consist of video and audio content led by doctors and experts.
“Mental health has risen to the forefront of our nation’s health concerns,” said Ko. “From the tolls of the pandemic to financial uncertainty and workplace anxieties, people have turned to Calm over the past ten years to manage their mental health. As we move into healthcare, our goal is to reach even more people with clinical mental health tools and destigmatize the importance of regular mental health care.”
Calm Health follows Calm’s acquisition of Ripple Health Group in early 2022, marking the mental health brand’s movement into healthcare. To bring Calm Health to your patients or members, visit health.calm.com.
About Calm
Calm is the leading mental health brand on a mission to make the world happier and healthier. With the #1 app for sleep, meditation and relaxation, Calm’s transformational mindfulness content supports users across seven languages in more than 190 countries. Calm Business, Calm’s enterprise-level solution, brings mental health to the forefront of the workplace. Over 3,000 corporations around the world trust and choose Calm Business as their mental health partner, to integrate mindfulness on an organizational level. Calm Health, Calm’s mental health care solution for payers, providers and self-insured employers, is designed to bridge the gap between mental and physical health care through clinical condition-specific mental health programs, caregiver and provider communications and more. Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2020 and Time100’s Most Influential Companies of 2022, Calm boasts over 100 million downloads to date, with more than 4 million paying members. For more information, please visit www.calm.com.
