The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) announced Tuesday a first-of-its-kind partnership with a virtual therapy platform to expand services to teenagers in N.C.
The department is partnering with Talkspace to provide free virtual mental health therapy to teenagers between the ages of 13 to 17 involved in or impacted by the justice system.
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According to the release, recent N.C data shows that 100% of young people in youth development centers had at least one mental health diagnosis, with more than half also having a substance use disorder.
Youth involvement in the justice system can increase a young person’s risk of experiencing more trauma or psychological distress. It can also lead to increased risk of adult criminal activity, lower education attainment and difficulty finding a job.
NCDHHS Secretary Dev Sangvai said there is an urgent need for youth-focused solutions to help justice-impacted young people get the care they need so they can thrive well in their communities.
"The partnership with Talkspace is one of the ways the department is working to transform mental health care to build a system that works for every person in North Carolina,” said Sangvai.
The partnership includes a two-year program that will serve as many as 20,000 youth impacted by the legal system, including people who may have personally been detained/court-involved, have lived experience as victims of crime or are otherwise identified as at risk, like having incarcerated family members.
Teenagers who download the app or go to the website will be put in contact with a trained clinician who can be matched by age, culture, gender, etc. The platform offers 24/7 text, audio and video access and self-guided activities.
Those participating may immediately access Talkspace services using a referral keyword provided by court counselors, case managers or other community partners such as local Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils and other youth advocacy groups. Participation is voluntary and will not be court-ordered.
Talkspace offers "asynchronous" therapy which differs from traditional approaches by allowing therapists and clients to communicate in various formats without scheduled appointments. The client engages in the therapeutic process whenever and wherever is most convenient.
Kelly Crosbie, Director of the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services, said increasing access to treatment is critical for justice-involved youth, especially tele-mental health as this form of access can allow for immediate therapy in a comfortable format.
"Ensuring children and youth involved with or impacted by the justice system receive mental health care is critical in stopping the re-entry cycle and ensuring children go on to live full and meaningful lives,” said Crosbie.
This initiative is part of NCDHHS’ mission to improve access to mental health care in North Carolina and is funded by the $835 million investment that focuses on mental health transformation.
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