20 August 2024
Kooth
plc
("Kooth"
or the "Company" or the "Group")
Kooth launches service partnership with Aetna
Better Health® of Illinois
Partnership sees Kooth's platform delivering
mental health services to thousands of Medicaid children and young
people in Illinois
Kooth (AIM: KOO), a global
leader in youth digital mental well-being, today announces it has
begun the delivery of its services as part of its initial one-year
partnership with Aetna Better Health® of Illinois. Kooth's services are now live across locations in the east,
Midwest and west coast of the United States, and this contract with
Aetna represents Kooth's first private sector engagement in the
country.
Over 1.5 million children were enrolled to Medicaid
in Illinois alone last year[1] and research
from the National Alliance for Mental Illness states
one in six youths in the US aged six to 17 experience a mental
health disorder every year. It also indicates a substantial gap in
mental healthcare access for adolescents and young people in
Illinois.[2] This partnership enables Kooth
to deliver its platform to the thousands of children and young
people in Illinois' Medicaid population who find themselves dealing
with issues related to mental health.
The partnership will initially focus on offering
11,000 young people across three counties in Illinois access to
safe, confidential, and moderated content, community, and
professional support from Illinois licensed clinicians. Aetna
Medicaid Administrators, a CVS Health Company, has over 30 years of
experience managing the care of under-resourced populations across
15 states and is well placed to support the delivery of Kooth's
services to children and young people.
Tim Barker, Chief
Executive Officer of Kooth, said:
"We're delighted to
announce progress in our partnership with Aetna, our first private
sector US partner, which means that thousands of children and young
people in Illinois' Medicaid population will be able to benefit
from our platform. We look forward to continuing our work together
and delivering support to those who need it."
Rushil Desai, CEO of
Aetna Better Health of Illinois said:
"At Aetna, we
recognize the growing mental health challenges facing young people
in Illinois today and are dedicated to providing support before a
crisis emerges. We are encouraged by the progression of our
partnership with Kooth and remain committed to delivering a
transformational service to our youngest members in Illinois by
providing them with access to Kooth's school-based
platform."
This announcement
contains inside information under the UK Market Abuse Regulation.
The person responsible for arranging for the release of this
announcement on behalf of the Company is Tim Barker,
CEO.
ENDS
Enquiries:
About Kooth
plc:
Kooth (AIM:KOO) is a global leader in youth digital mental
well-being. Our mission is to provide accessible and safe spaces
for everyone to achieve better mental health. Our platform is
clinically robust and accredited to provide a range of therapeutic
support and interventions. All our services are predicated on easy
access to make early intervention and prevention a
reality.
Kooth is a
fully safeguarded and pre-moderated community with a library of
peer and professional created content, alongside access to
experienced online counsellors. There are no thresholds for support
and no waiting lists.
Kooth is the
longest standing digital mental health provider to hold a UK-wide
accreditation from the British Association of Counselling and
Psychotherapy (BACP) and according to NHS England data for 2022/23
is now the largest single access provider for mental health support
for under 18s.
In 2021, Kooth began executing on its
international expansion strategy, with an initial focus on the US
market. This focus is due to the growing recognition of the
importance of improving youth mental health in this key global
healthcare market, with 1-in-6 people aged 6-17 experiencing a
mental health disorder each year.
For more information, please
visit www.koothplc.com.
About Aetna Medicaid:
Aetna Medicaid Administrators LLC
(Aetna Medicaid), a CVS Health company, has over 30 years of
experience managing the care of under-resourced populations, using
innovative approaches and a local presence in each market to
achieve both successful health care results and effective cost
outcomes.
Aetna Medicaid has expertise serving
high-need Medicaid members, including those who are dually eligible
for Medicaid and Medicare. Currently, Aetna Medicaid owns and/or
administers Medicaid managed health care plans under the names of
Aetna Better Health and other affiliate names.
Together, these plans serve members
in 15 states, including Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.
For more information,
www.aetnabetterhealth.com.