Expanding access to virtual care and telehealth resources central to President Biden’s proposal

(FORT WORTH, Texas) – The CEO of TimelyMD, the nation’s leading virtual health and well-being solution for college and university students, offers praise for the proposed White House strategy to address the national mental health crisis prior to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address.

“Our nation’s economic future and global competitiveness are directly linked to the health and well-being of college students today. A sharp decline in the number of Americans going to college has dire economic consequences for the U.S. long-term – and yet the number one reason students leave college is for mental health reasons,” said Luke Hejl, CEO and co-founder of TimelyMD. “Mental health knows no political affiliation, and a national strategy to expand access to mental health support in schools and colleges and universities deserves bipartisan support.”

TimelyMD’s TimelyCare platform serves as a 24/7 virtual extension of campus health and counseling center resources at nearly 200 colleges and universities across the country, with a goal of improving student well-being, engagement, and retention.

A recent story in the Chronicle of Higher Education highlighted how virtual care access through TimelyMD helps address the college mental health crisis, provides much-needed after-hours support for students, diversifies the provider network available to students, and expands the capacity of campus counseling center resources.

Today nearly one million students across the country currently have access to virtual care options through TimelyCare’s wide-ranging menu of services – including medical care, mental health counseling and basic needs assistance – from licensed physicians and counselors in all 50 states, at no cost to them and without the hassle of traditional insurance. Such investments would not be possible at many institutions, especially community colleges, were it not for previous federal and state funding allocations.

The need for 24/7 access to high-quality care has never been more important. In addition to the data shared by the White House, according to the American Council on Education, student mental health is the top concern of college and university presidents. A recent survey found nine out of 10 students said there is a full-blown campus mental health crisis.

“Meeting the need for equitable, on-demand access to care is a critical challenge that extends beyond campus boundaries. TimelyMD allows colleges and universities to solve problems rather than just treat symptoms,” said Hejl. “Virtual health and well-being solutions that complement in-person resources are here to stay. Through TimelyCare, we are proud to deliver best-in-class virtual care to help college students thrive.”

As the only company providing virtual health and well-being solutions, including telehealth and teletherapy, exclusively to college and university students prior to the pandemic, TimelyMD data show that 70% of all visits are for mental health, prior to just 10% pre-pandemic.

“Colleges and universities can no longer meet all of a student’s health and well-being needs on campus, with wait times that often stretch into several weeks, putting both students and institutions at risk,” Hejl said. “There are things we can do right now to help individual students be well, stay in school and achieve their goals, and expanding access to much-needed mental health services is at the top of that list.”