Koa Health Launches New Digital Mental Health Programs to Support Financial Wellbeing and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Evidence-based, self-guided programs help employers and health plans provide their populations with accessible, low-friction pathways for mental health support on prevalent, intersectional mental health topics
Koa Health, a leading global provider of digital mental healthcare solutions, announced two new programs that give employers and insurers resources to help their workforce and member populations manage stress and difficult feelings and build mental resilience related to financial uncertainty and diversity, equity and inclusion issues.
In the last year, rising inflation and unemployment rates have created an environment prime for financial stress around the world. In the U.S., more than 91 million adults report that affording typical household expenses is “somewhat difficult” or “very difficult,” according to data released early this year by the Census Bureau. In the U.K., two-thirds of workers are rely on borrowed money to pay their everyday expenses. Koa Health’s new financial wellness program includes a variety of resources, activities and tips to help users manage money-related stress.
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“Times are tough as the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and works through a cost-of-living crisis, war in Europe, and the climate crisis. Research tells us that more than half of those people experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety will never seek traditional mental health care, citing a preference for self-help and stigma,” said Koa Health CEO Oliver Harrison. “We need to reach these people with accessible resources and simple navigation to help them manage difficult feelings and difficult circumstances.”
Additionally, the mental health of people of color and marginalized populations have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic and are two times more likely to feel mentally unsafe at work. Employees in underrepresented groups often are subject to microaggressions, unconscious bias and other stressors – all of which are detrimental to mental health and wellbeing. Partnering with award-winning EdTech company Other Box, Koa Health’s new program provides unique learning opportunities for all users to encourage healthy conversations about systematic racism, privilege, allyship and inclusion.
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“There is an unacceptable gap in mental health care for those most exposed to today’s complex economic and social challenges, including people of color, LGBTQ+ and low-income populations,” Harrison said. “These new programs focusing on the intersection of mental health and financial wellbeing and diversity, equity and inclusion are a key part of Koa Health’s distinctive ethical commitments. This is how we deliver mental health for everyone.”
Koa Foundations, Koa Health’s flagship digital mental health app, supports employee and health plan populations to understand their mental health and build tools to help them cope with feeling down or anxious, improve sleep habits, mitigate symptoms of workplace stress and burnout, build better relationships and community connections and more. Its digitally-led programs have proven positive outcomes on mental wellbeing, sleep and resilience in just two weeks and create a non-threatening, discreet pathway to get help on demand.
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