The mental health field has long struggled with a gap in access to resources for aspiring therapists and counselors, especially in rural areas where licensed mental health professionals are in short supply. Motivo, a tele-supervision platform dedicated to easing the process for mental health workers to complete their licensure requirements, has raised $2.2 million in seed funding to tackle this challenge head-on.
Founded in 2017 by Rachel McCrickard, a licensed therapist who knows firsthand the difficulties of completing the required clinical supervision hours, Motivo aims to streamline the process of becoming a licensed mental health professional. The company’s recent funding round was led by Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises, with additional support from Techstars, SEI Ventures, ECMC, Great Oaks VC, The Jump Fund, Emmett Partners, Next Wave Impact Fund, and a group of angel investors.
With the new investment, Motivo is poised to expand its services, address critical shortages in mental health care, and improve access to clinical supervision across the United States. Here’s a closer look at what Motivo is doing, why it matters, and how it plans to reshape the future of mental health licensure.
The Challenge of Clinical Supervision
Before mental health professionals such as therapists, counselors, social workers, and psychologists can become licensed, they must fulfill a critical requirement: clinical supervision. This is an essential step that allows aspiring professionals to complete hands-on training under the supervision of a licensed mentor, often lasting two years. However, as many aspiring therapists and counselors will attest, completing this requirement is often easier said than done.
Rachel McCrickard, the CEO of Motivo, faced the challenge herself. After earning her degree, she struggled with the burden of long commutes to find a qualified supervisor in her area. For two years, McCrickard spent hours each week commuting for her clinical supervision, an experience that led her to recognize a crucial gap in the system.
“Obtaining these hours is more difficult than one might think,” McCrickard explained. “For a therapist, getting your degree is actually the easy part. It’s becoming licensed that is hard.”
Motivo was born out of this personal frustration, with McCrickard seeking to address the issue of long commutes and the scarcity of available supervisors.
Tele-Supervision: A Solution for Rural and Underserved Areas
Motivo provides a groundbreaking solution to a problem that has historically been in-person. The platform offers secure video-based supervision, which allows aspiring mental health professionals to complete their clinical hours remotely. In many states, remote supervision is now accepted, making Motivo an ideal tool for mental health workers across the country who are looking for greater flexibility and accessibility in their licensure journey.
One of the most exciting aspects of Motivo is its ability to serve professionals who live in rural areas, where access to mental health supervisors is often limited or nonexistent. According to research, more than half of all counties in the United States lack mental health providers, and all of these counties are rural. These underserved areas are disproportionately affected by the shortage of trained and licensed professionals, leaving many individuals without access to crucial mental health care.
By enabling remote supervision, Motivo is not only helping aspiring therapists and counselors complete their licensure requirements but also addressing the larger systemic issue of behavioral health provider shortages in rural communities. The platform empowers professionals to get licensed no matter where they live, bridging the gap between demand and supply for mental health services.
The Market Opportunity
The potential impact of Motivo’s platform extends far beyond just mental health professionals. The company is tapping into a market that could be worth $6.5 billion, according to estimates from its investors. This is because Motivo’s tele-supervision model can be applied to a variety of healthcare fields, including social work, marriage and family therapy, and other behavioral health professions.
Tim Howe, Senior Director of Corporate Strategy and Investments at Cox Enterprises, who is also a member of Motivo’s board, commented on the platform’s potential: “We see Motivo as perfectly positioned to capture the therapist credentialing market and to identify lateral healthcare markets that would also benefit from tele-supervision and the Motivo marketplace.”
The scalability of Motivo’s platform, combined with the growing need for mental health professionals across the country, positions the company to expand its reach rapidly. As the demand for mental health services continues to rise, Motivo’s model provides an essential service to both the next generation of mental health professionals and the communities they will serve.
A Focus on Partnerships and Growth
With the new $2.2 million in seed funding, Motivo plans to scale its platform and strengthen its position in the market. One of the key areas of growth is developing partnerships with associations and universities to broaden the reach of the platform. Already this year, Motivo has signed contracts with two prominent organizations: the American Counseling Association and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
These partnerships not only validate the quality and utility of Motivo’s platform but also provide additional avenues for future growth. By collaborating with well-established institutions in the mental health field, Motivo can attract more professionals who are seeking to meet their licensure requirements efficiently and conveniently.
Additionally, the funding will be used to grow the Motivo team, enabling the company to further develop its platform and reach more aspiring mental health professionals. The company is poised for significant growth, and the funding round will allow Motivo to expand its capabilities and serve a larger customer base.
Why Motivo Matters
Motivo is doing more than simply addressing a gap in the mental health licensure process; it’s working to change the landscape of behavioral health care in the United States. By making the path to licensure more accessible and convenient, the platform is helping to alleviate the shortage of mental health professionals, particularly in rural areas where care is desperately needed.
In addition, Motivo is positioning itself as a leader in tele-supervision for multiple healthcare professions. Its success in mental health licensure could pave the way for broader adoption in other healthcare fields, improving access to credentialing and increasing the number of trained professionals in various sectors.
The Future of Mental Health Licensure
Motivo’s innovative approach to tele-supervision is revolutionizing how aspiring mental health professionals complete their licensure requirements. By leveraging technology, the company is breaking down geographic barriers and making it easier for individuals to enter the mental health workforce, regardless of their location.
As the mental health crisis continues to grow across the country, Motivo’s platform offers a promising solution to one of the industry’s most pressing challenges: ensuring that there are enough qualified professionals to meet the demand for care. With its successful seed funding round and its ambitious plans for the future, Motivo is poised to be a key player in reshaping the mental health landscape in the United States.
For those looking to pursue a career in mental health, Motivo is making the journey to licensure easier, faster, and more accessible than ever before—an invaluable resource for both future professionals and the individuals who will benefit from their care.
