Choosing the Right Digital Mental Health Partner: The Questions That Matter Most (2/7)

Within the digital mental health space, there seems to be an overwhelming list of options when it comes to providers creating an environment that is difficult to navigate. More specifically, it’s difficult to decipher higher quality, safer options versus those options that may use creative language to create the illusion of quality.

It is imperative that you are equipped with the right knowledge and approach when vetting these options and identifying the partners that provide the best fit for both strategy and quality. A great way to get started or reset your approach is to make sure you’re asking the right questions to help you better understand what type of service and support is actually being provided when you look to expand your mental health support network.

2. Does your platform provide direct or professional support for members in crisis or at risk?

Any company that claims to support the mental health OR wellbeing of users must be prepared to support users in crisis. While most digital mental health services are not intended to be dedicated “crisis service” like a suicide-hotline, it remains reasonable for you to expect that any company claiming to support mental health is fully prepared (structured, staffed, and designed) to proactively intervene with members in crisis, wherever that member is located, and capable of persisting until that objective is completed.

Key questions to get at this:

• Do you provide professional crisis support for members at risk? If yes, ask for a detailed description of each step including the credentials of those providing the support.
• What percentage of support and risk assessments are made directly by licensed clinicians rather than moderators, volunteers, or automated systems?
• What are the clinicians’ qualifications?
  1. Are they licensed and/or registered?
  2. What countries are they licensed and/or registered in?
• How many clinicians are actively working at any time? (Note: this is not the same as being “on-call” – so don’t be distracted by answers about “on-call” professionals. Companies should be able to provide the average count of clinical staff actively working for any given minute.
• How is this service staffed by mental health professionals to guarantee immediate action? (The answer should include details about which staff are working when, how cases are tracked and reviewed, etc.)
• Can you share a recent job posting with the qualifications?
• What is your philosophy of care for members at risk?
• When do you close a case of a member at risk? How long do cases stay open for? Keep in mind that complex mental health crises often require days to handle.
• What steps do you take to ensure that cases have been handled appropriately? You are looking for details of case-supervision, case-consultation, and case-review.

This is the second in a seven-part series on choosing the right digital mental health partner. If you want the complete set of questions in one place – without waiting for each post – the full guide is available to download now.

About Togetherall   

Established in 2007, Togetherall is available to more than 20 million individuals worldwide. Togetherall is the leading clinically managed, peer-to-peer, online support community where members can share what’s on their minds, anonymously, safely, and in-the-moment, 24/7/365. Members can connect through shared lived experiences with a global network of peers, backed by the safeguarding of more than 50 licensed clinicians overseeing the community around-the-clock. These clinicians empower individuals in peer support and foster and maintain a safe, vibrant environment.  

If you are interested in offering safe and scalable ways to support your people’s mental health, contact us to book a demo and learn more about Togetherall’s online community.