BeMe Health, Inland Empire Health Plan, and Molina Healthcare of California team up to empower 72,000 teens with app-based behavioral health support
RIVERSIDE, Calif. & SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., November 01, 2023–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), Molina Healthcare of California (Molina), and BeMe Health (BeMe) are joining forces to offer access to digital behavioral BeMe’s health platform, built with and for teens, to more than 72,000 teens throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The initiative provides teens with safe access to engaging mental health content and skill development activities, as well as 1:1 mentoring and connections to clinical and support services. in crisis 24/7.
This new community partnership comes at a time when California, and the nation, are increasing efforts to expand behavioral health where services are most needed, including new legislation that helps ensure that all Medi-Cal-eligible youth have equal access to mental health counseling. and support, as well as new grants from the California Department of Public Health to support community-led youth suicide prevention.
“During and after the pandemic, I felt unmotivated and, well, just stuck,” said Ava Capen, a BeMe user from California and dedicated member of the BeMe Teen Advisory Board. “A friend introduced me to BeMe. It has helped improve how I deal with stressful situations, like going back to school after the summer or getting ready for a big game of basketball. And it also gave me simple calming techniques that I find myself using every day.”
IEHP, Molina, and BeMe are collaborating to provide safe, scalable adolescent mental health support in 10 California local education agencies (LEAs), a population that includes a high percentage of teenagers with diverse backgrounds. To better support and prioritize mental health equity, the BeMe app provides culturally relevant mental health services as well as science-based content tailored to languages, experiences, and cultures.
This new adolescent mental health program builds on the existing Student Behavioral Health Incentive Program (SBHIP), which supports the goals of California’s Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) program and broader efforts in California to establish a preventive, person-centered approach to health and wellness. The new three-way partnership also directly connects to the first teen mental health collaboration between Molina and BeMe.
“Molina is proud to make a positive difference in the lives of our teen members,” said Abbie Totten, Molina Healthcare Plan President of California. “We believe this ongoing partnership with BeMe, and the expanded work with IEHP, will continue to empower local teenagers to take control of their behavior and emotional well-being.”
IEHP is committed to supporting its youth members through initiatives focused on the whole health of a child. This includes the growing need for mental health-based support services, as half of mental health conditions in young people begin at the age of 14, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
“Our kids are in crisis right now – there’s no way around it. That’s why I’m so grateful that IEHP, Molina, and BeMe are working together to provide this resource to our teens,” explained Amrita Rai, IEHP’s Clinical Director. of Community Behavioral Health. “Participating in creative, positive, and strength-based initiatives for our children is essential today, especially since they are flooded with negativity around them. support to teenagers, at a time when they need it this.”
In a recent evaluation published by Stanford University involving more than 13,000 teens across the US, 84% of teens reported that BeMe helped with self-esteem, 90% of those teens find BeMe content helpful, and 84% of teens find BeMe coaching helpful. In a follow-up pilot evaluation with more than 400 teens using the BeMe platform, in just seven days, teens using BeMe reported a 20% reduction in positive screens for moderate or severe anxiety and an 11% reduction in adolescents who screen positive for moderate or severe depression. , as well as significant improvements in hope and use of coping skills.
“As a mother of two teenage daughters, I live and breathe the real mental health challenges facing teenagers today and the need for solutions that are unique to teenagers,” says Nicki Tessler, PsyD, MBA, CEO and Co-Founder of BeMe Health. “This community partnership with IEHP and Molina is a meaningful and collaborative solution to address the stress and anxiety many teens feel, especially this time of year.”
To learn more about this community-focused, adolescent mental health collaboration, visit www.beme.com.
BeMe Health is a digital behavioral health company dedicated to delivering mental health interventions specifically tailored for adolescents. The BeMe platform provides anytime, anywhere access to engaging content, mood meditation, and skill-building activities, as well as 1:1 coaching and connections to clinical and support services. in crisis 24/7 if needed. BeMe was built for and by teens, with an active Teen Advisory Board that ensures the platform is compatible with their lives, and its clinically validated approach uniquely resonates with teens when where they are – on their phones – in a safe, secure, and fun environment. BeMe works with health plans, employers, and community organizations to provide a digital-first approach to adolescent mental health intervention. To learn more, please visit www.beme.com or find us on LinkedIn.
About IEHP
With a mission to heal and inspire the human spirit, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) is one of the top 10 largest Medicaid health plans, the second largest not-for-profit Medicare -National Medicaid plan, and for the third year in a row, certified as a Good Place to Work®. In its 27th year, IEHP supports more than 1.6 million Riverside and San Bernardino County residents enrolled in Medicaid or IEHP DualChoice (those with both Medi-Cal and Medicare). Today, IEHP has a growing network of nearly 6,800 providers and more than 3,000 team members who are fully committed to the vision: We will not rest until our communities enjoy the best care and vigorous health. To learn more, go to iehp.org.
About Molina Healthcare in California
Molina Healthcare of California has been providing government-funded care for more than 40 years. The Company serves members through Medi-Cal, Medicare, Medicare-Medicaid (Duals) and Covered California (Marketplace). Molina’s service areas include Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, Orange County, and Imperial counties. Through locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare, Inc., a FORTUNE 500 company, served approximately 5.2 million members as of June 30, 2023. For more information about Molina Healthcare in California, visit MolinaHealthcare.com.
