As Teacher Burnout Surges, TimelyCare Extends Virtual Mental Health and Medical Care for K-12 Educators and Staff

(FORT WORTH, Texas) — TimelyCare is expanding critically needed access to virtual care resources to improve the health and well-being of K-12 teachers, administrators and support staff.

Overworked, underpaid and facing tremendous pressure, K-12 workers have the highest burnout rate of any industry in the United States, according to a recent Gallup Panel Workforce Study. A 2022 National Education Association survey found that 90% of teachers are experiencing burnout. However, a 2023 RAND report found only about half believe they have adequate mental health support to deal with the levels of stress they face post-pandemic.

Serving K-12 employees builds upon TimelyCare’s leadership as higher education’s most trusted health and well-being provider and experience serving more than 2.3 million students, faculty and staff at colleges and universities across the country. Extending anytime, anywhere virtual medical and mental health care to K-12 educators and staff through its integrated, easy-to-use platform was a natural next step with benefits beyond the classroom. Multiple studies have shown that improved teacher well-being increases job satisfaction, boosts retention, enhances quality of instruction and improves student outcomes.

“Nine out of 10 public schools already struggle to hire educators, and stress is the number one reason cited by teachers who intend to leave the field. With 24/7 access to mental health and medical care, TimelyCare helps teachers and support staff take care of themselves so they can continue to serve students,” said Luke Hejl, TimelyCare CEO and co-founder.

Now states, districts and schools can provide faculty and staff a wide-ranging menu of virtual care options, including live counseling and medical care from licensed providers in all 50 states, as well as on-demand emotional support, self-care resources and a peer community exclusively built for education professionals. Benefits include:

• Convenient 24/7 care – Rather than forcing teachers to take one of their few personal days to see a therapist or physician, TimelyCare makes seeking support or treatment as easy and convenient as making a video or phone call – whenever, wherever. They can connect with on-demand medical or mental health professionals within minutes or schedule an appointment at a time that works for them, including nights and weekends.
• No cost, no copays – TimelyCare eliminates the barrier of out-of-pocket costs, copays, and traditional insurance for provided services. Given the average educator’s pay has failed to keep up with inflation, providing comprehensive health and well-being services with no-cost visits is a benefit that adds up for teachers and staff.
• Reduced wait times – It can take weeks or months to schedule an appointment with an in-person mental health care provider, whereas TimelyCare users can typically connect with an on-demand provider in less than 5 minutes.
• Diverse provider network – TimelyCare’s diverse and culturally responsive provider network reflects and is proud to serve educators who embody diversity in race, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, age, religion and worldview, language, health, ability, and sexual orientation. More than half of the mental health providers identify as people of color. The platform also offers professionals who identify as LGBTQIA+, speak multiple languages, and provides translation services for more than 240 languages. Those scheduling services can choose to meet with a specific provider or select the first available.
• Peace of mind – TimelyCare is a safe, secure, URAC-accredited and HIPAA-compliant platform, ensuring confidentiality and privacy.

“Supporting K-12 students starts with supporting teachers. They burn out because they care, but we can’t afford to lose any more good teachers,” said Chris Clark, TimelyCare co-founder and strategic advisor. “Providing critically needed virtual health and well-being support is a retention strategy that encourages educators to take care of themselves and empowers them to be their best inside and outside the classroom.”

TimelyCare allows K-12 faculty and staff to seek the level of care they need, when they need it. For more information, visit timelycare.com/faculty-and-staff.