Hurdle Health, which provides a digital mental health platform focused on serving the Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) community, expanded its pilot with the insurer Oscar Health. They initially partnered in October 2021 to provide Hurdle’s unique mental health services for people of color to Oscar members in Texas. Through the expansion, Hurdle Health will be able to reach more than 150,000 BIPOC Oscar members in three new states. The announcement did not name the states.

In the Texas pilot, Oscar members responded positively, with 91% of pilot participants ranking the quality of Hurdle’s therapy sessions a 5 out of 5. The pilot and subsequent expansion are designed to provide culturally intentional mental health care for the BIPOC community, breaking down barriers to accessible, quality mental health services for people of color.

Hurdle was founded in 2018. It provides culturally responsive evidence-based care to individuals, couples and families of all backgrounds, with a specific focus on people of color. The company has established relationships with employer groups, leading payers and strategic partners, providing access to care to more than thirty million Americans.

The term BIPOC is specific to the United States. It is intended to center the experiences of Black and Indigenous groups and demonstrate solidarity between communities of color. Kevin Dedner, Hurdle’s founder and chief executive officer, said “The sad fact is that many people of color have been left behind by traditional therapy and mental healthcare. We know that providing evidence-based, culturally intentional therapy can have a profound impact on people’s health and well-being, and tailored care can keep people of color in a therapy program for 2-3 times longer than the national average. We’re looking forward to our expanded commitment with Oscar to create an even deeper impact on their members and the BIPOC community as a whole.” In the U.S., only one in three Black adults who need mental health care receive it. Studies show that Hispanic and Asian populations are similarly less likely to seek or receive mental healthcare than their white counterparts

This was reported by Hurdle Health on June 15, 2022, at https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220615005176/en/Hurdle-Health-Partners-with-Oscar-Health-Inc.-to-Provide-People-of-Color-with-Greater-Access-to-Mental-Health-Services (accessed July 12, 2022).

Contact information: Hurdle Health, 1301 K St NW, Floor 3, Washington, DC 20005; 724-250-8855; Email: hello@hurdle.health; Website: https://www.hurdle.health/