• Millions Struggle with Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health: 7.7 million adults have a co-occurring substance use disorder and mental health condition. More than half receive treatment for neither (Source).
• Demand for Therapy Outpaces Supply: Today’s therapist workforce cannot keep up with demand. Wait times for a therapist can be weeks if not months (Source).
• Barriers to In-Person Therapy Restrict Use: Stigma, affordability, and limited geographic availability of therapists stops many from seeking therapy (Source).
• Digital Therapy Fills Gaps: Telehealth-based therapy increases utilization of mental health care by making therapy more accessible and convenient (Source).
• A Pressing Need for Collaboration: Centralizing access to care and simplifying referrals is critical to addressing the need for services (Source).
  

BOSTON, Jan. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Talkspace (Nasdaq: TALK), the nation’s largest telemedicine-based therapy provider covered by insurance, and Bicycle Health, the nation’s largest telemedicine-based opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment program, announced plans for a partnership to expand their respective patients’ access to virtual care.

For Talkspace patients, this partnership increases access to OUD specialty care - specifically, medication for opioid use disorder treatment (MOUD), as well as therapists and recovery coaches who specialize in treatment of OUD. For Bicycle Health patients, this partnership increases access to therapists specializing in areas outside of substance use disorder, including marriage and family therapy, and asynchronous therapeutic chat.

Despite the 7.7 million Americans with co-occurring mental health conditions and substance use disorder, more than half receive treatment for neither. The need for therapy is high, but barriers to care – like stigma, access to licensed therapists, and affordability – prevent many people from getting treatment. Collaborations between telehealth-based providers centralizes access to care and makes treatment more accessible, convenient, and affordable.

“Opioid use disorder does not exist in a vacuum. We consider the whole person and their environment when recommending the right care plan to help them achieve stable, lasting recovery,” said Dr. Brian Clear, Chief Medical Officer at Bicycle Health. “Like patients in all care settings, Bicycle Health patients often experience depression, anxiety, or other behavioral conditions beyond their addiction, and many will benefit from a relationship with a therapist at Talkspace with expertise to meet their needs. Now, in addition to our own internal therapist team, our clinicians have the ability to connect our patients to a therapist at Talkspace quickly and reliably whenever that’s the right choice for any patient.”

Bicycle Health is the largest provider of telemedicine treatment for OUD and has provided treatment to more than 33,000 patients across 32 states. Talkspace’s network of more than 5,000 licensed clinicians across all 50 states have treated over a million people in need of therapy.

“Our mission is to make high quality mental health care accessible to all,” says Natalie Cummins, Chief Business Officer at Talkspace. “By expanding our partnership with best-in-class care specialists like Bicycle Health, our patients can easily access evidenced-based treatment for substance use disorders.”

To learn more about Talkspace’s offerings, visit their website. To enroll in Bicycle Health’s virtual OUD care model, visit their page.

About Bicycle Health
Bicycle Health is America’s #1 telehealth provider of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), offering an evidence-based clinical care model that includes FDA-approved Medications for Addiction Treatment (MAT), access to a highly-trained team of medical experts, therapy, a customized treatment plan, and peer support groups. Bicycle Health’s mission is to address the country’s most severe public health crisis by providing access to affordable, convenient, and confidential tele-MOUD treatment for individuals in need and helping to reduce stigmas associated with opioid addiction. For more information, visit www.bicyclehealth.com.

About Talkspace
Talkspace (NASDAQ: TALK) is a leading virtual behavioral healthcare company committed to helping people lead healthier, happier lives through access to high-quality mental healthcare. At Talkspace, we believe that mental healthcare is core to overall health and should be available to everyone.

Talkspace pioneered the ability to text with a licensed therapist from anywhere and now offers a comprehensive suite of mental health services from self-guided products to individual and couples therapy, in addition to psychiatric treatment and medication management. With Talkspace’s core psychotherapy offering, members are matched with one of thousands of licensed providers across all 50 states and can choose from a variety of subscription plans including live video, text or audio chat sessions and/or unlimited, asynchronous text messaging.

All care offered at Talkspace is delivered through an easy-to-use, fully-encrypted web and mobile platform that meets HIPAA, federal, and state regulatory requirements. Talkspace covers approximately 113 million lives as of September 30, 2023, through our partnerships with employers, health plans, and paid benefits programs.

Contact
LaunchSquad for Bicycle Health
bicyclehealth@launchsquad.com

SKDK for Talkspace
Talkspace@skdknick.com