Lyra Care for Teens ensures the mental health of families

Get the right care for mental health needs is a challenge at any age. But for adolescents in particular, early intervention and comprehensive care are essential to ensure the whole family is supported.

Today, 80% of children and adolescents with mental health problems do not receive specialized mental health care, according to the National Institutes of Health. Without intervention, the consequences are dire: according to a 2021 Pew Research survey, 22% of high school students said they had seriously considered suicide and 10% had made an attempt.

“There is a mental health crisis among adolescents,” says Dr. Monica Wu, clinical product manager for Lyra Health's family care offerings. “Most mental health disorders actually begin at age 14, which is exactly the ideal period of adolescence. It's an extremely formative time, and if we are able to intervene early, we really have the potential to change their trajectory, which is really important.

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Lyra Health's new platform gives teens access to more than 6,500 providers specializing in this age group, as well as digital courses that help teens develop and practice healthy coping skills. In addition to adolescent-specific support, Lyra Care for Teens also offers coaching and support for parents, which can help them manage a mental health issue in the family and protect their own well-being. Lyra's data revealed that more than half of working parents support a child with a mental health problem, and a third of them said it had led to a decline in their own mental health.

“There is certainly a huge ripple effect on adolescent mental health, and when the adolescent is struggling, parents and families are certainly struggling,” says Dr. Wu. “This will inevitably have an impact on how they will show up to work, because there will be added stress and distraction.”

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Through the platform, teens can connect directly with practitioners via text, as well as access on-demand resources between sessions, which is where “all the magic happens,” says Dr. Wu.

“If we think about therapy, it's usually once a week for 50 minutes, and between sessions is where your daily life happens,” she says. “This is when therapeutic skills really need to be put into practice. But unfortunately, many families and adolescents simply don't have this opportunity if they don't receive evidence-based care or if they do not complete therapeutic tasks between sessions.”

While Lyra based these offers on what they already provide for their adult clientsthey adapted the design and engagement for a younger audience, and heard directly from teens about what resonated with them.

“We wanted it to be an immersive and truly mobile-optimized experience because we know that teens have their phones next to them,” says Dr. Wu. “In the video lessons, these situations are relevant to teens : social anxiety, academic stress, what do my peers think of me? And we've heard from user searches: “It's like looking at me” or “This looks like what some of them think.” cross.'”

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Providing benefits that meet the needs of a family at any age has become increasingly important for employees and employers alike. And while progress has been made, there is always room for more support. Dr. Wu recommends being flexible so parents can schedule doctor appointments or take time off work if necessary. GREs can also provide a supportive community for parents to share what they're going through in a “safe space,” she says.

“There is more support and we can also do more,” says Dr. Wu. “Parents should feel supported and seen, rather than just focusing on their work. This will not only result in a better quality of life, but also through savings for the family and employers.”