Expanding Access Podcast

Purpose-built technology solutions tailored for behavioral health providers are essential to enable a more efficient and impactful care delivery system.

In this episode, Chad Dodd, Vice President of Product Management at athenahealth, talks about the growing need for innovation in behavioral health technology.  Chad addresses the challenges of administrative burdens, provider shortages, and patient care gaps. He highlights the development of purpose-built solutions for behavioral health providers.  Chad discusses how these tools prioritize asynchronous communication, interoperability, and tailored workflows to alleviate burnout and improve care delivery.

Autism advocacy is transforming perceptions and increasing awareness in various domains.

In this episode of the Expanding Access podcast, Jennifer Palumbo, a writer and advocate, shares her journey with autism and infertility, driven by raising her neurodivergent son. She highlights the importance of dispelling misconceptions about autism in the workplace to showcase the value of neurodivergent individuals. Advocacy has been empowering for Jennifer, akin to her previous stand-up comedy work, and she emphasizes humor's role in coping with challenges and making complex topics accessible through Wonder Woman Writer. Jennifer's future panel will explore neurodivergence and technology, and she encourages openness about personal challenges to reduce stigma.

Adolescent behavioral healthcare is undergoing a transformation through innovative virtual solutions.

In this episode, Robert MacNaughton, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Antelope Recovery, discusses how his organization addresses challenges in adolescent behavioral healthcare, including mental health deserts and stigmas against virtual care. Antelope Recovery provides virtual, personalized care for high-acuity teens, integrating therapy within their home environments and collaborating with school and healthcare providers. Robert emphasizes the effectiveness of virtual care in improving teens' real-life situations and highlights the importance of clinician wellbeing, collaboration, and sustainable practices. He also advocates for a growth mindset to continually address deficiencies in the behavioral health system.

Preventative mental health education is essential for student success, and integrating quick, practical tools into daily routines can foster emotional resilience and prevent crises.

In this episode, Tessa Zimmerman, founder of Upstream Education, discusses her mission to revolutionize mental health education for students. She talks about her struggles with severe panic attacks as a child and how it impulsed the development of a program that equips educators with tier-one social-emotional learning tools. Tessa mentions how, with the help of a student task force and mental health experts, Upstream Education ensures its programs remain relevant and impactful. She also explains the three pillars to aim to prevent mental health crises: stress management, self-regulation, and attachment.

To expand mental healthcare access and balance operational growth with quality care for diverse populations, including underserved communities and teens.

In this episode, Julia Bernstein, Chief Operations Officer at Brightside Health, explores the challenges and innovations in scaling quality mental health care to underserved populations. She talks about leveraging evidence-based practices to ensure quality care delivery. Julia discusses utilizing digital tools to address barriers to accessing care for teens. She also shares some insights on navigating regulatory frameworks to expand equitable mental health services.

Integrating behavioral health into OB practices and utilizing telehealth is critical to addressing the maternal mental health crisis and improving outcomes for families.

In this episode, Dr. Jessica Gaulton, CEO of Family Well, discusses the intersection of perinatal mental health and technology, focusing on collaborative care. She discusses how innovative care models are addressing critical gaps in maternal mental health services. Dr. Gaulton talks about embedding behavioral health support into OB practices. She also mentions how leveraging telehealth helps scale access to specialized care for new mothers and families.

Asynchronous therapy and telehealth expand access to mental healthcare, especially for underserved populations, through scalable, technology-driven approaches.

In this episode, Erin Boyd, Chief Growth Officer at Talkspace, discusses the evolving landscape of digital behavioral health. She emphasizes how innovative approaches like asynchronous therapy and telehealth are breaking barriers in mental healthcare. Erin also discusses strategies to combat stigma and expand access to underserved populations such as teens and seniors. She also explores the integration of AI to improve therapeutic outcomes.

Maternal mental health care is undergoing a transformation through cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions.

In this episode, Malekeh Amini, CEO and founder of Trayt Health, shares how her personal experiences with maternal mental health have driven her passion for improving care and prevention through Trayt’s platform. This platform enhances providers' access via integrated care models and emphasizes the importance of universal screening beginning before pregnancy, as maternal mental health affects entire families and future generations. She highlights the urgent need to treat maternal mental health as a critical issue, advocating for public-private partnerships to foster solutions. Malekeh also underscores the significance of educating mothers and families about accessible care and highlights the crucial role of leaders and funders in supporting universal screening initiatives.

Handwritten letters foster human connection, bridging cultural and systemic gaps in mental health care and empowering individuals, even in underserved communities, to feel heard and supported.

In this episode, Diana Chao, founder of Letters to Strangers, discusses how her personal struggles with mental health led her to create a global youth mental health NGO that spans 72 countries. She also discusses the power of letter writing to foster empathy and connection and the limitations of Western-centric mental health frameworks in a globalized world. Tune in to hear how the universal power of human connection is breaking barriers in mental health care!

AI-driven healthcare solutions can revolutionize behavioral health by optimizing schedules, improving patient matching, and enhancing operational efficiency.

In this episode, Plamen Petrov, CEO of Healee, shares how AI-driven solutions are addressing critical challenges in healthcare scheduling. He also discusses the importance of provider-patient matching and operational optimization through technology. Plamen discusses the importance of identifying gaps in provider schedules and leveraging data-driven strategies to enhance care delivery and accessibility.

Psychedelics are transforming mental health care accessibility and treatment.

In this episode, Dr. Dana Lerman shares her journey from being an infectious disease consultant to founding Skylight Psychedelics after facing personal mental health struggles during the COVID pandemic. She discusses her transformative experiences with psychedelic-assisted therapy, including an ayahuasca retreat, and how these therapies catalyzed profound personal changes and a career shift. Dr. Lerman highlights the critical role of psychedelics in enhancing mental health care accessibility, illustrated by her work with insurance companies to provide ketamine-assisted therapy benefits. She emphasizes the potential of psychedelics, like ketamine, in treating conditions such as suicidality, advocating for the de-stigmatization and respectful use of these medicines.

Innovative psychiatric care models are reshaping how we address behavioral health crises.

In this episode, Colin LeClair, CEO of Connections, discusses Connections' freestanding emergency psychiatric units that provide alternatives to traditional hospital settings, aiming to rapidly stabilize patients in crisis and reduce the burden on hospitals. Colin addresses significant barriers to behavioral health parity, particularly health plan engagement, and advocates for a shift towards value-based care models.

FDA-cleared digital mental health treatments are transforming behavioral healthcare by improving access, affordability, and clinical rigor.

In this episode, Dr. Jenna Carl, Chief Medical Officer at Big Health, discusses the transformative potential of FDA-cleared digital mental health treatments. She explains how these evidence-based, automated programs address critical challenges like accessibility and cost in behavioral healthcare.

The power of lived experiences has been harnessed to create a transformative platform for advancing mental health and expanding access for all.

Solome Tibebu, Founder and CEO of Behavioral Health Tech, shares her journey from personal struggles with anxiety and OCD to building the largest community focused on advancing mental health and substance use care through technology. She discusses the origins of Behavioral Health Tech during the pandemic, its rapid growth, and its commitment to promoting health equity and innovation.

Neurodivergent care is being revolutionized through technology and innovation.

In this episode, Christal Wang, Co-founder and CEO of Shimmer, discusses Shimmer's strengths-based coaching platform for individuals with ADHD. She emphasizes shifting the perception of neurodivergence from a deficit-focused to a strengths-focused approach.

Telehealth initiatives in schools are expanding access to mental health services, ensuring students receive the care they need.
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In this episode of the Expanding Access podcast, Kacie Kelly, Chief Innovation Officer at Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, explains how the Institute bridges policy and practice in mental health technology through innovative partnerships.

Lived recovery experiences strengthen Sober Sidekick's support systems for individuals battling substance use disorders.

In this episode of the Expanding Access podcast, Christopher Thompson, Founder and CEO of Sober Sidekick, shares his personal recovery journey and the inspiration behind his app, which aims to create a supportive recovery community through peer support.

Incorporating lived recovery experiences improves Wayspring's programs for Medicaid recipients with substance use disorders.

In this FIRST episode of the Expanding Access podcast, we meet Ashley Potts, Vice President of Operations at Wayspring, during BHT2024. With 18 years of recovery from substance use, Ashley shares how her lived experience informs Wayspring's programs for Medicaid recipients with substance use disorders.