Almost a year after New Directions Behavioral Health and Tridiuum announced their merger, the two companies have launched a new joint venture: Lucet. The company aims to revolutionize how patients access behavioral health services by connecting payer members with appropriate care in less than five days. Lucet’s approach combines technology with personalized guidance, providing a comprehensive behavioral health navigation solution for both patients and payers.
Navigate & Connect: Combining Technology and Care Navigation
Lucet’s flagship platform, Navigate & Connect, integrates a tech-based system with a team of care navigators. Using a claims-based algorithm, the platform assesses real-time risk and provides care navigators with insights into each patient’s behavioral health needs. This enables navigators to guide members through their benefits and ensure they are connected with the right care. A 24/7 crisis support line also provides immediate assistance for urgent situations, reinforcing Lucet’s commitment to comprehensive behavioral health navigation.
“Since our merger last January, New Directions and Tridiuum have worked together to accelerate how we reimagine delivering behavioral health services for members,” said Shana Hoffman, president and CEO of Lucet. “Part of that process has been integrating our care services with smart technology that has strengthened how we partner with providers and payers to optimize behavioral health for all. New Directions and Tridiuum each bring very different and distinct value to the combined company. Because what we’re building is completely new and far greater than the sum of its parts, we felt it deserved a new brand.”
Serving Patients Across the Behavioral Health Spectrum
The behavioral health navigation platform is designed to serve patients across the behavioral health acuity spectrum, from those needing routine outpatient care to patients requiring more intensive inpatient services. By combining technology and hands-on guidance, Lucet ensures that members get timely care while helping payers manage costs. Plan members using Lucet have seen annual savings of about $1,000 for outpatient care and $3,000 for inpatient care, demonstrating the financial and clinical benefits of this approach.
“Our Navigate & Connect offering has demonstrated significant per-member cost savings for our health plan customers,” Hoffman said. “These savings largely come from connecting members who need behavioral healthcare to clinically appropriate care, which reduces overall healthcare costs. A key component of our platform is its ability to deliver ongoing mental health assessments, which guide members to relevant, high-quality care. At Lucet, we partner with health plans to enable access, ensure quality, and lower costs through advanced behavioral health navigation.”
Integration with Providers for Seamless Care
Lucet’s platform also integrates with providers’ electronic health records, practice management systems, and other point solutions. This integration allows care navigators to see clinician availability and efficiently schedule appointments. By connecting technology and personalized support, Lucet ensures patients experience seamless access to care while payers benefit from cost efficiencies.
Combining Expertise from Two Industry Leaders
The backgrounds of the merging companies contributed to Lucet’s strength. New Directions Behavioral Health, founded in 1995, brought decades of expertise in managed behavioral health care, employee assistance programs, organizational consulting, and health coaching. Tridiuum, founded in 1997, added over 20 years of clinical research and technology experience, including digital platforms for integrated behavioral and primary care information. Combining these strengths has created a truly innovative behavioral health navigation solution.
“New Directions Behavioral Health brings more than 20 years of member-centric behavioral health experience to Lucet,” Hoffman said. “Tridiuum brings more than 20 years of clinical research and technology expertise. Together, we offer capabilities that address the growing behavioral health challenges and help payers ensure members get the resources they need through advanced behavioral health navigation services.”
A National Footprint
Lucet now manages 15 million patients across all 50 states, positioning itself as a leading provider of behavioral health navigation solutions nationwide. By integrating technology, personalized care, and continuous risk assessment, Lucet provides payers and patients with a seamless, efficient, and cost-effective way to access behavioral health care.
Shaping the Future of Behavioral Health Access
As the demand for behavioral health services continues to grow, solutions like Lucet demonstrate the power of combining human-centered guidance with advanced technology. By addressing gaps in access, providing timely care, and helping payers manage costs, Lucet sets a new standard for behavioral health navigation and patient-centered care in the United States.
