We’re bending the system to drive superior outcomes.

Yes! Many research studies (see here, here, here, or here) have confirmed that virtual mental health care based on video- and chat-based interactions with practitioners is as effective as traditional in-person care (while also being more cost-effective, easier to access, and less stigmatized than in-person care).

Yes! Therapeutic alliance–a fancy term for the relationship between clients and their mental health practitioner–is typically the same between virtual and in-person platforms, indicating that members can still have a trusting and positive relationship with their coach or therapist when they interact virtually. 

At Bend, our coaches and therapists work hard to make sure you feel understood and cared for. In a study of Bend Health members published earlier this year, we found that nearly 9 out of 10 surveyed members said they felt understood by their Bend Health care team. 

Measurement-based care is a widely-used clinical practice that facilitates patient-centered mental health care. At Bend, we use measurement-based care to ensure we are delivering the highest quality of care that is optimized for each member. It involves:

• Regular (monthly) assessment of members’ mental health outcomes throughout their involvement in care. 
• Sharing feedback on members’ progress with their family and care team in a regular and timely manner. 
• Using members’ data, paired with the input of the care team and involved caregiver(s), to shape the members’ ongoing care (such as, involvement in specific care programs, frequency of sessions, coaching versus therapy, etc.). 

At Bend, all of our care programs and clinical practices (including measurement-based care) are evidence-based, which means that they are supported by the best available scientific evidence. Examples of the evidence-based practices we use in our care programs are cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral activation, parent management training, motivational interviewing, and mindfulness-based stress reduction.

You may notice that we ask you pretty regularly (monthly, to be exact) to tell us about you or your child’s symptoms. This is because mental health symptoms can change quickly and often, and these changes can be difficult for mental health practitioners to notice using face-to-face interactions alone. 

This is why we use measurement-based care (see above) and regular symptom assessments!

With monthly symptom assessments, we can measure progress in real time, while also keeping your care team up to date. We also use the data from these symptom assessments to make adjustments to your care plan that maximizes the effectiveness and efficiency of the mental health care provided to you at Bend.

Although every child is different, and many factors impact how quickly someone will respond to care, our research indicates that members with symptoms of anxiety and/or depression show stable decreases in their symptoms after six coaching sessions.

We’ve also found that the majority of members who participate in our care programs for anxiety, depression, and ADHD show improvements within the time it takes to complete a care program, which is normally three months. 

Our recent studies show that caregivers report significant decreases in their stress, sleep problems, workplace burnout, and absenteeism after enrolling their children in Bend.

Parents play a hugely important role in helping their kids and teens seek mental health care. In a study of 15-17 year olds participating in mental health services, more than half reported that their family was the major influence in their decision to seek help.

As a parent, there are a few simple but crucial things you can do to help your child access and get the most out of mental health services. These include: 

• Making yourself available to your child 
• Maintaining open communication with your child
• Understanding that your child’s difficulties are serious enough to warrant the help and guidance of a mental health professional
• Voicing your concerns to your child and your child’s mental health care team

These points are based on the work of Ryan et al. (2015), Hassett et al. (2018), and Logan & King (2001).

Bend Health uses existing clinically validated assessments to measure your child’s symptoms at enrollment and throughout care. A “clinically validated” assessment is one that consistently and reliably measures the symptom we want it to measure, according to scientific research studies. For example, we assess teens’ anxiety symptoms at Bend using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) assessment because a lot of research shows that it is accurate and consistent for use among this age group.

Yes! While in care, Bend monitors symptoms over time using clinically validated symptom assessments that you and/or your child complete (based on your child’s age and symptoms). By completing these monthly symptom assessments, you provide your care team and yourself with valuable information about month-to-month changes in mental health. 

You can easily access and track symptom developments in your profile on the Bend member app.

Mental and physical health problems are typically treated separately, but in reality, they are closely related. In fact, issues in one domain often lead to issues in the other. 

This is why at Bend we aim to provide holistic care that is informed by both mental and physical health.

Bend’s services are facilitated by both mental health coaches and therapists, depending on members’ symptom severity and care program. 

Members have the option to participate in coaching only, coaching + therapy, and coaching + therapy + psychiatry care programs. Members might be directed to another care program as their symptoms change throughout care–for example, a member in the coaching + therapy program might be directed to the coaching only program when their symptoms show improvement.

Mental health coaching focuses on how to achieve goals. Coaches focus on changing behavior, developing practical skills, and strengthening self-efficacy and autonomy. 

Therapy focuses on the why of symptoms and behaviors, utilizing clinical frameworks that incorporate past experiences and trauma. Therapists can provide clinical diagnoses and often collaborate with our mental health coaches to offer an additional level of care and supervision. 

While both mental health coaches and therapists work with members who show low to moderate symptom severity, therapists also work with members who show acute symptom severity.