Ada Health, the global digital health company focused on improving human health at scale, announces that it has integrated digital triage into the ground-breaking mental health support service, Scout by Sutter Health™ for young people in the United States, to help users better understand their mental health symptoms and services available to them, helping more young people than ever before access personalized support.
Young people across the United States are struggling with their mental health. Over 15% of American youths experienced a major depressive episode in the last year, a number exacerbated in recent years by the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, access to appropriate mental health services is limited, with over one third of Americans living in areas lacking mental health professionals.
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As many as half of all mental disorders have begun by age 14. However, mental health concerns in young people are often stigmatized, with many experiencing difficulties in identifying and communicating distress and anticipating that help will be difficult to access. This can lead to a preference for self-reliance which, in turn, can create worse health outcomes later in life, and a greater long-term stress on healthcare services. Earlier this year, the White House argued that reducing barriers to mental health care would not only reduce the economic burden of unmet mental health needs but also increase the productive capacity of the economy moving forward, while researchers are increasingly pointing to the benefits of early intervention strategies in youth mental health.
Ada’s powerful AI-based health assessment platform helps users better understand their mental and physical symptoms through a thorough series of non-judgmental questions based on clinically validated AI and protocols, and based on their responses, navigate them to available services and support. Ada’s technology is available to tens of millions of users around the world through enterprise partnerships and Ada’s free consumer app. The platform’s medical knowledge covers an industry-leading range of symptoms and conditions, including mental health, while the platform itself prioritizes user safety and accuracy. Ada’s assessment flow can also highlight potential ‘red flags’, indications of a more serious mental health concern, and offer more immediate support for those users.
Scout by Sutter Health™ is an early intervention and prevention focused digital experience that delivers evidence-based tips, tools, and activities to help teens and young adults build resilience and manage their everyday mental health. Co-designed with young people and clinical experts, the program offers personalized support to those aged 12-26. Scout offers mental health literacy, builds resilience and emotional health, and provides timely redirects to clinical care when needed. Participants receive weekly check-ins and are connected to non-clinical guides who support engagement. Scout is also available for caregivers who can enroll to receive information and tools designed to help them understand, support, and connect with their loved ones as they work through their mental health journey.