Digital mental health leader Lyra Health is taking a major step forward in addressing the nation’s youth mental health crisis. The company has announced an expansion of its teen mental health services online, offering new ways for adolescents to access evidence-based therapy and support.
With mental health concerns among teens rising to alarming levels, Lyra’s expansion comes at a critical moment. The company’s platform, long known for its employer behavioral health benefits, now provides specialized resources for teens and their families, combining professional therapy, digital tools, and ongoing support to bridge gaps in traditional mental health care.
Addressing the Mental Health Crisis Among Teens
Teen mental health challenges have become increasingly visible over the past several years. According to a 2021 CDC analysis, 37% of high school students reported experiencing poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, while 44% of teens said they persistently felt sad or hopeless during the previous year.
These statistics highlight a growing need for accessible, effective teen mental health services online. A recently published report from the Employee Benefit Research Institute reinforces these findings, showing that the pandemic’s impact on youth has extended beyond physical health, creating long-term behavioral health concerns.
“Traditional approaches to childhood mental health care have failed our kids, as well as their parents and caregivers,” said Dr. Connie Chen, Chief Operating Officer of Lyra Health. “It has been extraordinarily difficult for families to find specialists practicing evidence-based care, and parents are left poorly supported when coping with these difficult and complex family situations.”
How Lyra Supports Teens
Lyra’s new teen-focused services aim to provide a comprehensive behavioral health solution by combining professional therapy, digital exercises, and ongoing communication with providers. Key features include:
- Video-based therapy sessions: Teens can meet with licensed mental health professionals in a virtual environment, removing the barriers of transportation and scheduling that often prevent access to care.
- Digital exercises, guides, and assessments: Between sessions, teens can engage in structured activities designed to reinforce therapeutic concepts, practice coping strategies, and track their progress.
- One-on-one messaging with providers: Teens can reach out to their therapists between sessions, allowing for timely support during moments of need.
By integrating technology into traditional therapy, Lyra seeks to make teen mental health services online more continuous, personalized, and accessible for adolescents.
Supporting Families and Caregivers
Recognizing that teen mental health is deeply intertwined with family dynamics, Lyra is also expanding coaching support for parents and caregivers. Families often face challenges navigating the mental health system, especially when trying to find specialists or manage care for children with complex needs.
Lyra’s coaching program provides parents with:
- Personalized plans tailored to their child’s needs
- Text-based communication with coaches for guidance between sessions
- Access to video lessons covering relevant topics on child and adolescent mental health
This approach empowers families to play an active role in their child’s treatment while receiving professional guidance, addressing one of the major pain points in traditional pediatric mental health care.
Expanding Services for Autism Spectrum Disorder
In addition to teen behavioral health, Lyra is building a new care navigation service for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This program allows both caregivers and adults with ASD to consult with a care navigator, who helps:
- Find in-network providers
- Coordinate care across multiple specialists
- Provide educational resources and tools for families and individuals
By integrating care navigation, Lyra is addressing the often fragmented and confusing landscape of autism services, ensuring families can access the right care efficiently.
Lyra Health’s Growth and Industry Impact
Founded in 2015 as a workforce mental health product, Lyra has quickly become a unicorn in the digital health space, attracting significant investor attention. Following a 200 million Series C funding round in 2021, Lyra has raised a total of 680 million, with a valuation of 4.2 billion.
The company’s rapid growth reflects the increasing demand for virtual behavioral health solutions, particularly those that combine therapy with digital tools, coaching, and care navigation. Lyra now serves over 10 million employees and their dependents worldwide, illustrating the scale and reach of its platform.
By offering teen mental health services online, Lyra is reaching a population that has traditionally struggled to access timely, evidence-based care.
The Broader Context: Virtual Pediatric Mental Health
Lyra is not alone in targeting pediatric and adolescent mental health virtually. Other companies, like Brightline, have also entered this space, offering multidisciplinary behavioral health teams to deliver care virtually. Brightline has raised just under 220 million in venture funding, highlighting the market opportunity and investor interest in scalable pediatric mental health solutions.
The growth of these platforms reflects several key trends:
- Increased demand: Rising rates of teen depression, anxiety, and behavioral health challenges have created an urgent need for accessible care.
- Digital convenience: Families increasingly prefer virtual services that reduce travel time, scheduling conflicts, and stigma associated with in-person therapy.
- Integrated support: Platforms that combine therapy, coaching, and care navigation provide a more holistic approach to behavioral health.
By expanding teen mental health services online, companies like Lyra are helping meet these trends head-on.
Evidence-Based Care and Innovation
Lyra emphasizes evidence-based care as a cornerstone of its teen programs. Its clinical team continuously researches and develops new services designed to support adolescents and their families effectively. By pairing traditional therapy with digital tools, Lyra enhances engagement and empowers teens to practice coping skills between sessions, improving long-term outcomes.
Dr. Chen stated, “Since Lyra’s inception, child and adolescent mental health has been a critical area of focus, as demonstrated by the depth of our specialized provider network and care programs. Our clinical team continues to research and develop new services to support young people and their families through evidence-based care and engaging apps and content.”
The availability of teen mental health services online ensures that therapy is not only accessible but also tailored to the unique needs of adolescents navigating complex mental health challenges.
Looking Ahead
As the mental health crisis among teens intensifies, companies like Lyra Health are stepping up to fill critical gaps in care. By expanding services for adolescents, supporting caregivers, and creating specialized programs for autism, Lyra is establishing a comprehensive digital ecosystem for pediatric behavioral health.
These initiatives not only address immediate needs but also have the potential to redefine how families access mental health care, demonstrating that technology, when paired with professional expertise, can provide scalable, evidence-based support to teens and their families.
With millions of global employees and dependents now accessing Lyra’s platform, the company is poised to continue shaping the future of adolescent mental health care, ensuring that support is both accessible and effective in addressing the complex challenges young people face today.
By offering teen mental health services online, Lyra Health is making a meaningful difference in the lives of teens, their families, and caregivers, proving that digital solutions can transform mental health care for the better.
