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Teladoc Health to Provide New and Expanded Mental Health Resources to Support the Black & African American Community

$250,000 in care, training and resources committed through its BetterHelp mental health brand

Purchase, NY, June 10, 2020Teladoc Health (NYSE: TDOC) today announced that it is providing a range of free mental healthcare services, training, and outreach resources to help support the needs of the Black and African American community. The company’s commitment includes $250,000 in direct initiatives and contributions to community-based organizations made available through Teladoc Health’s direct-to-consumer mental health brand, BetterHelp. In addition to providing immediate access to services, the efforts announced will also address known disparities in access to care by supporting further strengthening of mental health infrastructure within the Black and African American community.

“As our society moves to confront racial injustice, hatred and violence, we remain committed to standing up for equality and playing a role in driving positive change,” said Jason Gorevic, chief executive officer, Teladoc Health. “Consistent with our values, creating greater access to mental health services for the Black and African American community is a first step in countering disparities that have persisted for too long.”

In addition to the services being funded for individuals seeking care and therapists providing care, partnerships being created with outside organizations will also help increase the reach and impact of counseling, training and outreach services provided by these established programs. Teladoc Health’s corporate commitments are inclusive of the following:

Financial assistance of $100,000 to those impacted individuals who are struggling to pay for counseling to help them access BetterHelp services. Members who wish to work with a counselor of color can also indicate their preference in the platform when requesting their visit. 

A contribution of $100,000 in counseling services, free of charge, to all staff, volunteers, trainers, directors, and alumni of BOLD (Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity). BOLD is a non-profit organization that facilitates social transformation and improves the living conditions of Black people by (re)building the social justice infrastructure required to organize Black communities. An additional financial contribution to BOLD will help fund its series of training and mentorship programs.  

A contribution of $50,000 to the Black Mental Health Alliance, a national organization with a mission to develop, promote, and sponsor trusted culturally-relevant educational forums, training and referral services that support the health and well-being of Black people and other vulnerable communities.

Creation of a therapy group session, or “groupinar”, focusing on the intersection of mental health, racial injustice, and navigating the world as a person of color. The groupinar, available free to all Teladoc and BetterHelp members, as well as general consumers, will be available weekly and hosted and led by an expert therapist from the BetterHelp network.

Availability of a continuing education (CE) course for network therapists. In collaboration with “Inclusive Therapist,” this no-cost course, “Tending to Racial Trauma During Crisis,” is designed to equip mental health professionals with the tools necessary for providing culturally responsive care supporting communities of color.

“People are hurting. We are all witnessing the pain within our own communities, and our mental health therapists and counselors are hearing it first-hand every day,” explained Alon Matas, president, BetterHelp, a division of Teladoc Health. “As we put these initiatives into place, it’s our hope that by having multiple avenues of support people will find the courage to reach out, to talk, and to get the help that they need, on their terms.”

African Americans are less likely to receive care for mental health, in part due to lack of insurance and access to care, including access to providers from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds. These new efforts are directed to positively address that gap, as well as the gap in the number of licensed Black psychologists as the national conversation around equity for Black lives creates action.

About Teladoc Health

A mission-driven organization, Teladoc Health, Inc. is successfully transforming how people access and experience healthcare, with a focus on high quality, lower costs, and improved outcomes around the world. Ranked #1 among direct-to-consumer telehealth providers in the J.D. Power 2019 U.S. Telehealth Satisfaction Study, the integrated services from Teladoc Health include telehealth, expert medical services, AI and analytics, and licensable platform services. With more than 2,400 employees, the organization delivers care in 175 countries and in more than 40 languages, partnering with employers, hospitals and health systems, and insurers to transform care delivery. For more information, please visit www.teladochealth.com or follow @TeladocHealth on Twitter.

1 https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Psychiatrists/Cultural-Competency/Mental-Health-Disparities/Mental-Health-Facts-for-African-Americans.pdf