Amwell (NYSE: AMWL), a leading virtual care provider, is stepping into a new era of behavioral health support with the launch of real-time therapy connections powered by artificial intelligence. This bold move is part of the company’s broader strategy to enhance AI-driven mental health care and address one of the most pressing challenges in the healthcare system: patient activation.
At the core of Amwell’s new initiative is a real-time transfer system that instantly connects patients with mental health professionals the moment they are identified as needing support. Whether flagged by Amwell’s own providers or by its AI-supported automation tools, patients are queued for immediate access to a therapist — no additional steps, no complex referrals. This approach aims to eliminate one of the most frustrating bottlenecks in behavioral health: the delay between recognizing a need for care and actually receiving it.
This new functionality was launched near the beginning of the quarter as part of Amwell’s continued rollout of its Converge platform — a unified technology solution designed to streamline and modernize care delivery. Converge integrates various aspects of AI-driven mental health care, including automated assessments, hybrid treatment tools, and now, real-time escalation into live therapy.
Addressing the Accessibility Crisis
Recent surveys reveal a troubling trend: roughly 42% of Americans seeking mental health care are unable to get it due to cost, provider shortages, or lack of nearby services. These obstacles often leave patients stranded — even when they’ve already been identified by a primary care provider as needing behavioral health support.
Dr. Roy Schoenberg, co-CEO of Amwell, explains that this issue boils down to one fundamental failure: activation. “How do you get patients connected to those resources?” he asks. “We know uptake is nowhere near where it needs to be.”
This challenge isn’t new. Health payers and providers alike have long struggled to get patients to engage with behavioral health services — even when access is technically available. Cold outreach and “dialing for dollars” campaigns have repeatedly shown limited effectiveness. What Amwell brings to the table, through AI-driven mental health care, is a system that leverages existing patient-provider relationships and integrates mental health support directly into their virtual care infrastructure.
A Unified Model of Hybrid Mental Health Care
Amwell’s system doesn’t just offer one pathway into care — it’s built for flexibility. The platform brings together live clinicians, automated tools, and self-guided digital resources into one seamless user experience. It’s a vision that began to take shape after Amwell acquired two key companies in 2021: SilverCloud Health, a leader in digital cognitive behavioral therapy, and Conversa Health, known for its conversational AI solutions.
Together, these acquisitions helped lay the groundwork for an integrated hybrid model of AI-driven mental health care — one that combines digital support, automation, and live human interaction.
SilverCloud provides structured, trackable digital programs that patients can use independently or alongside live therapy. Conversa’s AI tools add an additional layer of engagement and personalization, helping to ensure patients remain active in their care journey. This digital-plus-human model, which Schoenberg calls “hybrid,” reflects Amwell’s belief that the best mental health care isn’t one-size-fits-all — it’s flexible, scalable, and intelligent.
Turning Touchpoints into Treatment
One of Amwell’s biggest advantages is its footprint. The company serves more than 1,000 healthcare organizations and interacts with millions of patients through various platforms. These frequent touchpoints offer an unmatched opportunity to identify mental health needs early — and activate patients into care through smart, timely interventions.
This is where AI-driven mental health care becomes a game-changer. Rather than waiting for patients to seek out help on their own, Amwell’s platform uses AI to detect risk factors, prompt engagement, and provide a direct path to services. This proactive model turns passive encounters into active care delivery moments — helping patients before a crisis hits.
According to Schoenberg, the final piece of the puzzle was making sure patients identified by AI and digital tools could be escalated into live therapy instantly. “That escalation capability back into a live queue of therapy — that was the last piece,” he said.
Shifting the Economics of Mental Health Access
Behavioral health providers in the B2B space have long faced another hurdle: low utilization. Many employers and payers hesitate to pay flat fees for services when there’s no guarantee their members will use them. Amwell’s solution — a real-time, AI-informed pathway to care embedded in everyday patient interactions — directly addresses this concern.
By dramatically improving utilization through smart engagement and seamless access, AI-driven mental health care becomes not just a clinical win, but a financial one. It’s a model that supports pay-for-use economics and demonstrates clear ROI for payers and providers.
Meeting an Exploding Demand
Data from Amwell’s partners point to an overwhelming demand for behavioral health services. “The thirst for that hybrid model of behavioral health — even though we thought it was going to be large — is just astounding,” Schoenberg said. “It’s incredible how much more need we see than anything that we could ever deliver.”
Amwell’s leaders have made behavioral health a strategic priority, not only because of its impact on health outcomes, but also due to its growing role in the company’s revenue model. Behavioral health services have driven a significant increase in subscription-based income, helping to stabilize Amwell’s business while deepening its clinical offerings.
The Future of AI-Driven Mental Health Care
As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, Amwell is positioning itself at the forefront of virtual mental health delivery. With its Converge platform, integrated care model, and AI-first approach, the company is not just building tools — it’s reshaping the entire behavioral health ecosystem.
By embedding AI-driven mental health care into routine virtual visits, activating patients at the moment of need, and delivering treatment across multiple modalities, Amwell is offering a vision of care that is more accessible, responsive, and sustainable.
For millions of Americans who have struggled to access timely mental health services, this kind of innovation could be the bridge between need and treatment — finally turning potential care into actual healing.
