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Bend Health's Digital Measurement-Based Care Significantly Reduces Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in Children and Adolescents
Press Release
Science
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Study Shows Nearly Three in Four Patients Experienced Improved Symptoms
MADISON, Wis., (April 20, 2023) – Bend Health, Inc. ("Bend"), a national provider of pediatric mental health care services for children and families, today announced its digital, measurement-based collaborative care model significantly reduced anxiety and depression symptoms in children and adolescents, according to a new study published in JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting.
The study found that nearly three in four patients significantly decreased symptoms of anxiety, depression, or both between their first and last sessions. Among 114 patients with elevated anxiety and depressive symptoms, 73.3% with anxiety symptoms and 73.1% with depressive symptoms showed improvement.
“Digital measurement-based care significantly improves symptoms of anxiety and depression in children and adolescents,” said Dr. Monika Roots, Bend co-founder and president. “This study further validates Bend Health’s collaborative care model as an effective, accessible treatment option for young people needing mental health care.”
The study comes at a critical time when more families are experiencing mental health issues and access to evidence-based care is limited. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, 25% of kids and teens have a mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder, while National Center for Children in Poverty data suggests 80% do not receive treatment. There are only 8,300 child and adolescent psychiatrists in the United States and 75% of U.S. counties lack a child and adolescent psychiatrist.
“Early intervention and access to care can greatly improve the quality of life for young people and their caregivers,” said Dr. Roots. “There is both a need and opportunity for affordable, accessible care that supports the mental health and well-being of children.”
Bend supports mental health from sub-acute issues such as stress, sibling rivalry, technology addiction, anxiety, and depression to severe mental illness, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, trauma, and co-occurring substance use. Its collaborative care model combines virtual video visits, chat messaging, and integrated digital experiences to provide kids, teens, and caregivers skills that support long-term mental health resilience and wellness. Care teams benefit from AI and novel technology that uses measurement-based care to track patient progress.
Last month, Bend announced it raised $32 million to scale operations and has expanded access to its services through agreements with two of the nation's largest health insurers, employers totaling 650,000 people, and integrated medical and behavioral health systems with over 600 pediatricians nationwide.
Citation
Huffman L, Lawrence-Sidebottom D, Huberty J, Roots M, Roots K, Parikh A, Guerra R, Weiser J
Using Digital Measurement–Based Care for the Treatment of Anxiety and Depression in Children and Adolescents: Observational Retrospective Analysis of Bend Health Data
JMIR Pediatr Parent 2023;6:e46154
URL: https://pediatrics.jmir.org/2023/1/e46154
DOI: 10.2196/46154
About Bend Health, Inc.
Bend Health, Inc., a national provider of pediatric mental health care services for children and families, is on a mission to improve access and reduce the cost of high-quality, expert mental health care. Bend is revolutionizing treatment through a novel, data-driven technology platform and evidence-based collaborative care model that enables the first scalable and integrated care solution in mental health. Through coaching, therapy, and faster access to evaluation and treatment by psychiatric experts, Bend achieves better outcomes utilizing measurement-based care and supports happier, healthier kids and families. Bend services are available through partnerships with leading insurers, employers, and health systems, and self-pay. Follow us online: www.BendHealth.com.
About JMIR Publications
JMIR Publications is a leading, born-digital, open access publisher of 30+ academic journals and other innovative scientific communication products that focus on the intersection of health and technology. Its flagship journal, the Journal of Medical Internet Research, is the leading digital health journal globally in content breadth and visibility, and it is the largest journal in the medical informatics field.
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