In a bold and timely move, digital behavioral health leader Lyra Health has unveiled a new initiative focused on Complex Mental Health Care. This innovative offering, called Lyra Complex Care, is designed to address the needs of individuals living with severe and multifaceted mental health conditions—people who often fall through the cracks of traditional care models.
Founded in 2015 as a workforce mental health platform, Lyra Health has grown rapidly. With $680 million raised to date—including a $200 million Series C round in 2021—the company has steadily expanded its offerings. Now, with the launch of Lyra Complex Care, it is stepping further into the high-acuity mental health space, aiming to redefine how Complex Mental Health Care can be delivered at scale.
Breaking New Ground in Mental Health Innovation
Lyra Complex Care is built around a unique four-pronged framework developed specifically for individuals with complex psychiatric needs. Dr. Smita Das, Lyra’s Vice President of Psychiatry and Complex Care, emphasized that the new model includes:
- A specialized network of facility partners: Lyra has teamed up with 250 care facilities across the country, including well-known names like Mount Sinai Health System, Hazelden Betty Ford, and Charlie Health. These partnerships allow for smooth handoffs when individuals require in-person treatment, ensuring that Complex Mental Health Care is not only initiated but sustained in the right environment.
- A dedicated multidisciplinary team: Lyra has created internal teams made up of psychiatrists, social workers, and master’s-level clinicians. These professionals collaborate across specialties to create and manage individualized treatment plans. Their collective expertise ensures that each patient receives coordinated and effective Complex Mental Health Care.
- Comprehensive assessment and triage process: One of the standout elements of the program is its triage component. From the first point of contact, patients undergo a thorough assessment to determine which services are appropriate—be it an intensive outpatient program (IOP), residential care, or one of Lyra’s digital offerings.
- End-to-end support: Unlike many care models that lose continuity once a referral is made, Lyra’s teams remain involved. They work closely with both patients and partner providers to ensure that Complex Mental Health Care is continuous, responsive, and genuinely supportive.
Expanding the Scope of Digital Behavioral Health
The launch of Lyra Complex Care marks a turning point in digital behavioral health. While many virtual mental health companies focus primarily on low- to moderate-acuity conditions such as anxiety and stress, Lyra is entering territory where needs are greater and solutions are fewer.
This expansion builds on Lyra’s prior work in acute care. The company already offers a Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) program to reduce suicide risk and self-harm, as well as Lyra Renew, a substance use treatment program that includes group therapy and medication-assisted treatment. Together, these offerings show a clear and growing commitment to the Complex Mental Health Care continuum.
A Model Designed for Impact
What sets Lyra apart is its ability to deliver real-world solutions for serious mental illness (SMI) through a tech-enabled platform. By blending in-person services with robust digital tools, the company is helping modernize how Complex Mental Health Care is accessed and delivered. This is particularly significant in a landscape where individuals with SMI often face delays, misdiagnoses, or a lack of coordinated support.
Terry Hyman, managing partner at Northwood Healthcare Partners, believes that venture-backed companies like Lyra are uniquely positioned to lead the charge in this area. “I think [SMI] often requires a new model of care,” he told Behavioral Health Business. “Private equity is less about building a new model than expanding a model that has proven efficacy. So I actually think that the venture community is well suited to do the work to build the models.”
The Road Ahead
With Complex Care, Lyra is not just offering a new product—it is providing a blueprint for what the future of Complex Mental Health Care could look like. The company’s model addresses long-standing pain points in the system: fragmented services, limited access to high-acuity care, and poor continuity of treatment.
More importantly, Lyra is proving that Mental Health Care doesn’t have to be siloed or limited to traditional institutions. With the right partnerships, infrastructure, and clinical oversight, tech-enabled care can reach populations that previously had limited options.
A New Era of Hope
As the mental health landscape continues to evolve, Lyra Health’s move into complex care is a hopeful sign for individuals and families affected by severe mental illness. It shows that innovation in digital health is no longer confined to minor conditions—it is extending into the very core of what people need most.
For employers, insurers, and health systems looking to better support high-risk populations, Lyra’s new model offers a compelling case. And for individuals seeking help, it offers something even more powerful: a coordinated, compassionate, and clinically sound path forward.
Mental Health Care is challenging, but it’s not unsolvable. With models like Lyra Complex Care leading the way, the future of mental health support looks more connected, comprehensive, and patient-centered than ever before.
