BALTIMORE, MD—Baltimore County Public Schools this week announced a new partnership with Talkspace, a leading online behavioral health care company, to provide free, unlimited telehealth therapy for all BCPS high school students ages 13 and above. Beginning December 2023, more than 32,000 students will have access to high-quality, messaging therapy and evidenced-based mental health resources.
This districtwide program offers support at a critical time, given that teenagers across the country are facing rapidly rising rates of stress, anxiety, depression, and thoughts of suicide, according to the CDC.
“BCPS is committed to the academic success and to the physical, social, and emotional well-being of all our students,” said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers (Yarbrough). “We know students perform better academically when they are healthy in body, mind, and spirit, and we want to ensure that our students have access to the comprehensive resources and support they need to navigate any day-to-day mental health struggles they may face. By offering Talkspace’s digital modalities, like unlimited messaging therapy, we can extend support that students can access beyond school hours, year-round, at their convenience.”
Eligible students interested in therapy can sign up, take a brief assessment specific for teens, and get matched with a dedicated, licensed therapist. Once matched, therapy sessions take place on Talkspace’s secure and encrypted platform, accessible from the teens’ smartphones, tablets or computers. Teens can communicate with their therapists at any time with an unlimited number of private messages at no cost. The efficacy of Talkspace’s message-based therapy has been validated by 20+ published studies conducted in partnership with major research institutions, including Columbia University and New York University. Whether “getting something off their chest,” or “venting,” teens have shared how helpful it is to message their therapist right in those moments of need or crisis.
“We at Talkspace are proud to partner with Superintendent Rogers and her leadership team to deliver this groundbreaking program to the Baltimore County public school system. We are 100% committed to delivering to their high school students mental health support that is convenient, confidential, easily accessible, and free of charge,” said Jon Cohen, M.D., CEO of Talkspace.
This partnership with BCPS builds upon Talkspace’s successful collaborations with schools, education departments, and municipalities nationwide.
To be eligible for this program, teens must be enrolled in a BCPS high school and be over the age of 13 at the time of signup. Eligible teens can sign up for unlimited messaging therapy and gain access to Talkspace Go, a comprehensive teen mental health self-guided program.
More information on the program, including registration and parental/legal guardian consent, is available online.
