BeMe, a digital behavioral health app designed for teenagers, has secured strategic partnerships with major payers, including a $1.5 million investment from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS). This investment will facilitate the availability of BeMe’s platform to approximately 20,000 teenagers across Kansas, acknowledging the increasing significance of tools like BeMe amid a worsening landscape of youth mental health issues.
Notably, suicide stands as the second leading cause of death among individuals aged 15 to 24, according to BCBSKS. BeMe aims to address these challenges by providing accessible mental health support to teenagers.
Nicki Tessler, CEO of BeMe, emphasized that while the COVID-19 pandemic has brought heightened attention to youth mental health issues, it has essentially revealed existing challenges rather than creating new ones. The BeMe app adopts an innovative approach, integrating clinical interventions into activities that teenagers find engaging. For instance, a seemingly lighthearted prompt to draw a sea creature serves a dual purpose as a distress tolerance skill within dialectical behavioral therapy.
In addition to the collaboration with BCBSKS, BeMe has recently partnered with Inland Empire Health Plan and Molina Healthcare of California. This collaboration will extend the platform’s reach to approximately 72,000 teenagers in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. This initiative aligns with recent California legislation mandating enhanced access to behavioral health services for all youth covered in Medi-Cal plans.
BeMe offers mental health coaching 14 hours a day, seven days a week, and provides around-the-clock crisis support for teens requiring immediate care. Tessler, a clinical psychologist and the driving force behind BeMe, was inspired to create the app as a mother of teenage daughters, aiming to demonstrate impactful measures that can enhance people’s lives.
The announcement highlights BeMe’s substantial growth over the past year as more health plans integrate the platform. Previous investors in BeMe include Flare Capital, Polaris Partners, and the California Health Care Foundation, among others. The partnerships underscore the app’s potential to address the critical mental health needs of teenagers and contribute to the evolving landscape of behavioral health services. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 for professional and confidential support, available 24/7.
