Point32Health Collaborates with Valera Health to Enhance Access to Quality Mental Health Care in Massachusetts

Use of Evidence-Based Virtual Platform Will Elevate Mental Health Care Experience for Members of Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care

CANTON, Mass. and NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Point32Health, the parent organization of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan, and Valera Health, a tele-behavioral health service that provides comprehensive care for kids and adults with mild to severe mental illness, today announced a collaboration to increase access to virtual mental health services and provide evidence-based care to Point32Health members in Massachusetts.

"Valera's virtual behavioral health care solution provides a professional and convenient online platform that enables us to expand mental health services for our members, without compromising on quality," said Jill Borrelli, vice president of behavioral health at Point32Health. "We are dedicated to providing our members – those who receive coverage through their employers, Medicare beneficiaries and those on MassHealth – with access to the mental health care they deserve, helping us to expand equitable access across our lines of business."

The Covid-19 pandemic and other global events have highlighted the need for increased mental health care access. In Massachusetts, 31.4 percent of adults reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder in 2021, while the share of adults in Massachusetts with any mental illness was 21.1 percent in 2018-2019. Moreover, America is currently facing a national shortage of mental health professionals. The percent of need for mental health professionals met in Massachusetts is 32.2 percent, slightly above the national average of 28.1 percent. (KFF - Kaiser Family Foundation).

"Valera and Point32Health share a joint commitment of utilizing proven, innovative methods to guide and empower our community members to achieve healthier lives," said Valera Health CEO and Co-Founder, Dr. Thomas Tsang. "We are pleased to collaborate with this distinguished health and wellbeing organization. Valera is proud to continue our expansion to new markets, allowing us to provide affordable, measurement-based mental health treatment to diverse communities." 

Valera Health currently covers 37 million Americans through over 20 health plans, treating individuals aged 6-99 in ten states, and is quickly expanding. Valera has also achieved over 70 percent depression improvement outcomes across the population, supporting increased demand for quality mental health care.

Valera Health's comprehensive virtual behavioral health services provide quality care for patients across all levels of mental health acuity, including serious mental illness (SMI). Founded by clinicians and psychiatrists, Valera Health currently covers over 37 million lives across Medicaid, Medicare and commercial plans in multiple states. Patients with mild depression to severe schizophrenia are treated with expert care. With exceptionally high Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) scores, Valera's behavioral health services produces measured outcomes that far exceed national average outcomes. For more information go to: www.valerahealth.com.

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Point32Health is a leading health and wellbeing organization, delivering an ever-better health care experience to everyone in our communities. Building on the quality, non-profit heritage of our founding organizations, Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, we leverage our experience and expertise to help people find their version of healthier living through a broad range of health plans and tools that make navigating health and wellbeing easier.

Our programs take a 360-degree view of health for our members—no matter their age, health, race, identity or income. Our Institute works to improve population health—and our Foundation works with communities to support, advocate and advance healthier lives for everyone. We use empathy to understand what's important to those we serve, always making their priorities our own. And we work to guide and empower people by bringing together wide-ranging partners and perspectives to create new approaches that make a real difference for our community, our industry and our 2.2 million members across New England.

SOURCE Point32Health