- Leapfrogging 'once per week' care delivery models, Wave
meets members where they are, with board-certified mental health
coaches, licensed therapists and 24/7 access to byte-sized,
evidence-based, interactive coaching content
- Wave's progressive care model acknowledges the massive gap
between California mental health
care supply and demand, and generational shifts in how Californians
want to engage in their care journeys
- Aetna-insured Californians can now use Wave as a covered
health benefit to establish a well-being baseline, nurture
introspection, strengthen skills in navigating emotions, behaviors
and relationships, and measure progress over time
PALO
ALTO, Calif., May 13, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Wave today announced that it has joined Aetna
as an in-network mental health care provider in California, giving 3 million California residents covered access to its
on-demand stepped mental health care platform. Created by clinical
psychologist Dr. Sarah Adler,
Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University, Wave delivers personalized,
virtual mental health care to help members navigate the highs and
lows of daily life, with evidence-based solutions and
science-backed care plans.
Combining an app-based digital experience with certified mental
health coaches and licensed therapists trained in its proprietary
care model, Wave has demonstrated significant reductions in acute
depression, anxiety and stress. The company's stepped care approach
ensures the most effective, yet least resource-intensive treatment,
is delivered first.
5.6 million Californians are living with a mental health
condition, yet an astounding 63% of California adults with psychiatric illness
reported receiving no mental health services. It's no surprise that
a majority of Californians surveyed by the Kaiser Family Foundation
and the California Health Care Foundation believe their communities
do not have enough mental health professionals. Even for
Californians who can access mental healthcare, many are priced out
by the state's $175 average therapy
session fee, the nation's third highest.
As the U.S. grapples with an ongoing mental health care provider
shortage, Wave is among a handful of visionary care models equipped
to make a dent in the supply and demand imbalance. Rather than rely
solely on licensed therapists or a conventional once-weekly
client-therapist encounter, Wave combines board-certified mental
health coaches and personalized, interactive, app-based
psychoeducational content to meet members wherever they might be on
their mental health care journeys. More than 40 percent of Wave
members see improvement in their anxiety, depression, and
stress/burnout in just four sessions.
"It's imperative that we detach ourselves from the collective
delusion that legacy care models, even with the mainstreaming of
telehealth, are equipped to meet the national mental health crisis
we find ourselves in," said Dr. Sarah
Adler, Founder and CEO of Wave and Clinical Associate
Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford
University. "We must radically increase the volume of
trained mental health professionals, augmenting the licensed
therapist workforce with highly-skilled and certified mental health
coaches, and find ways to support those in crisis with always-on,
evidence-based support. This is what we're trying to achieve at
Wave, and why we're thrilled to now be in-network Aetna California
members."
With more than half of Americans now born 1980 or after, how
people seek out, engage with and perceive the value of their mental
health care is changing. Gen Z, in particular, views emotional
health as at the core of their identity, and central to how they
think about health and wellness as a whole. Born 1997 to 2012, this
generation spends more time and money on preventative health rather
than episodic health, including attending regular therapy sessions
for a specific problem for a specific period of time. The
generation also gravitates to a lifestyle augmented by technology,
with reality existing in a blended version of both sides of a
digital screen.
Wave's digital-first care experience is built with these trends
in mind.
- 24/7 Support and Custom Care Pathways. Wave combines the
expertise of board-certified mental health coaches—who also serve
as care coordinators—with cutting-edge technology to support
members at all stages of their journey, meaning integrated,
continuous care is at the forefront of every member's personalized
care pathway.
- Virtual One-on-One Sessions:
Members can engage in personalized sessions with their coach via
the Wave app, where they'll receive tailored guidance and support
designed to meet their unique mental health and well-being
goals.
- Custom "Byte"-Sized Exercises: Based on members' one-on-one
sessions, their assigned coach will develop a custom program filled
with manageable, "byte"-sized exercises. These are crafted to
address both mental and physical health, making it easier for
members to achieve their objectives at their own pace.
- In-App Messaging for Continuous Support: To ensure members have
support between their virtual sessions, Wave offers in-app
messaging with their coach. This feature allows members to seek
guidance, ask questions, and stay connected, ensuring they're
supported every step of the way.
Any Wave member can step-up to a higher level of care with a
licensed Wave psychologist while still receiving mental health
guidance from their coach. Wave also offers outbound referrals for
those who need augmentative or different types of care.
About Wave
Wave delivers personalized, virtual mental
health care to help members navigate the highs and lows of daily
life, with evidence-based solutions and science-backed care plans.
Combining an app-based digital experience with mental health
coaches certified by the National Board for Health & Wellness
Coaching and trained in its proprietary, evidence-based mental
health model, Wave has demonstrated significant reductions in acute
depression, anxiety and stress. The company's stepped care model,
which delivers and monitors mental health treatment so that the
most effective, yet least resource intensive treatment, is
delivered first, also includes access to licensed therapists when
clinically appropriate. To learn more,
visit www.wavelife.io.
Media Contact
wave@hermespr.co
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SOURCE Wave