ABHW and AbleTo Partner to Educate on the Benefits of Remote Behavioral Healthcare

NEW YORK, May 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW), the national voice for payers that manage behavioral health insurance benefits for over 175 million people, and AbleTo, Inc., a technology-enabled behavioral health company that treats the depression, anxiety and stress commonly associated with medical conditions and life events, has published a new white paper "Telebehavioral Health Care: A Solution to Impact Cost, Access and Quality of Care" providing a comprehensive overview of the full body of literature around telebehavioral health.

This white paper provides rich evidence supporting the ability of telebehavioral health to impact cost savings, improve access, and increase quality of care. It is intended to help inform and educate key stakeholders to consider the value of making telebehavioral health a more easily accessible option for patients.

Over 44 million Americans experience a mental illness in any given year, yet we know that only half of those people are receiving any treatment. This is even more troubling given the high prevalence of coexisting physical conditions in this population, with as many as 1 in 4 Americans struggling with both a physical and behavioral health issue. The economic costs of this problem have been well documented, reaching nearly $300B in increased medical costs due to untreated mental health and lost productivity.

"At AbleTo, we believe there is tremendous value in scaling high-quality behavioral health care to help the millions of people struggling with undiagnosed or untreated mental illness," said Rob Rebak, CEO and President, AbleTo. "We've proven that evidence-based treatment improves health outcomes and reduces costs, clearly demonstrating the benefits of remote therapy."

"This paper demonstrates that telebehavioral health is a viable mode of treatment delivery. There is a well-documented workforce shortage of behavioral health providers and telebehavioral health can help deliver care to people who may otherwise go untreated. Furthermore, telebehavioral health services are convenient for people and eliminate the fear some individuals have of being seen walking in to a mental health provider's office due to the stigma that exists in our society," stated Pamela Greenberg, MPP, President and CEO, Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness.

This white paper is end result of a collaborative effort created out of a mutual passion for increased access to high quality, evidence-based behavioral health care. The evidence highlighted in this paper provides necessary clarity around the real benefits of telebehavioral health care to positively impact cost, access and quality.

ABHW is the leading health plan association working to improve access and quality of care for mental health and substance use disorders. ABHW's members include national and regional health plans who care for more than 175 million people. Together we work to reduce stigma and advance federal policy on mental health and addiction care.  Member companies - Aetna Behavioral Health, Anthem, Beacon Health Options, Centene Corporation, Cigna, New Directions Behavioral Health, Optum, and PerformCare.

AbleTo, Inc. is a market leader in providing technology-enabled behavioral health care. AbleTo has been treating patients for over six years, and improves patient outcomes and lowers costs by providing treatment that integrates behavioral and medical health care. AbleTo's structured therapy programs strengthen medical recovery and self-care among members with chronic or complex clinical needs. AbleTo analytics, coupled with our multi-channel engagement platform, identify and engage members with unmet, often undiagnosed, behavioral health needs. A proprietary platform connects individuals and their care teams with AbleTo licensed providers who deliver weekly sessions by phone or video supported by an integrated digital experience. AbleTo programs are clinically proven to improve both behavioral health and medical outcomes while lowering overall spending for higher-cost, higher-risk members. AbleTo's investors include .406 Ventures, Sandbox Industries, HLM Venture Partners, Horizon Healthcare Services, Inc., Bain Capital Ventures, and Aetna Ventures.

Contact: Mary Mooney
Phone: 312.593.4280
Email: [email protected] 

SOURCE AbleTo, Inc.

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