Expanding Access

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.

Tune in to discover the strides being made in maternal mental health and the innovative technologies shaping the future of healthcare.

Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.

Save $100 on your registration here by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

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!

Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.

Save $100 on your registration here by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

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.

Tune in to uncover how cutting-edge technology is breaking barriers in behavioral healthcare!

Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.

Save $100 on your registration here by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

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.

Tune in to learn how innovative approaches in psychedelic therapy are reshaping the landscape of mental health care!

Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.

Save $100 on your registration here by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

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. He highlights potential cost savings from reducing inpatient admissions, which can be reinvested into preventive care. Emphasizing the importance of specialty providers forming consortiums to effectively engage payers, Colin calls for collaborative efforts within the industry to promote systemic change.

Tune in to learn how behavioral health parity and innovative care models are transforming the landscape of psychiatric care!



Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.

Save $100 on your registration here by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

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. Throughout this conversation, Dr. Carl highlights the recent CMS approval of new reimbursement codes for FDA-regulated digital mental health treatments, which has enabled greater adoption and availability of innovative solutions for conditions like insomnia and anxiety. She also explains the distinctions between these treatments and standard wellness apps, underlining their clinical rigor and cost-effectiveness.

Tune in to learn how FDA-cleared digital mental health treatments are revolutionizing behavioral healthcare!

Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.

Save $100 on your registration here by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

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

In this episode, 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. Solome also highlights the importance of lived experiences in shaping effective behavioral health solutions and offers insights into the organization’s ongoing initiatives, including the annual conference, partnerships, and resources.

Tune in to explore how personal experiences and innovative technology are shaping the future of mental health care, breaking barriers to access, and fostering inclusive solutions for all!

Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.

Save $100 on your registration here by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

Neurodivergent care is being revolutionized through technology and innovation.

In this episode, Christal Wang, co-founder and CEO of Shimmer, at the Behavioral Health Tech Conference in Arizona, 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. Christal explains how AI can assist neurodivergent individuals by handling tasks that challenge executive function, allowing them to leverage their unique strengths. Shimmer's mission includes raising awareness, decreasing stigma, and offering educational resources to support the neurodivergent community.

Tune in to learn how neurodivergent care and innovative technology are transforming the landscape of mental health!

Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.

Save $100 on your registration here by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

Telehealth initiatives in schools are expanding access to mental health services, ensuring students receive the care they need.

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. She highlights significant advancements, including Medicare's decision to finance mobile applications and digital therapeutics, enabling clinician reimbursement. Kacie also discusses the collaborative care model, integrating mental health care into pediatric and primary care, and praises its sustainable financing. With increased funding and community involvement, she is optimistic about transformative changes in mental health care.

Tune in to gain valuable insights and be inspired by the innovative approaches in mental health care!

Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.

Save $100 on your registration here by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

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

In this episode of the Expanding Access podcast by Behavioral Health Tech, 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. He critiques the current incentives in behavioral health, emphasizing that they often do not align with preventing relapses or supporting long-term recovery. Instead of being incentivized by relapses, Sober Sidekick focuses on empowering individuals on their lifelong recovery journey and demonstrating the butterfly effect of these empowerment efforts. The fee-to-use app offers connection and peer support at any time, seeking to significantly reduce relapse rates through community-based support. Chris also encourages those in recovery to overcome guilt and shame, emphasizing the potential for every individual to start an epic comeback story.

Tune in to discover how recovery experiences are transforming support systems for substance use disorders!

Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.

Save $100 on your registration here by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”