As the national conversation around mental health evolves, a wave of new initiatives and startups are pushing the boundaries of how care for serious mental illness (SMI) is delivered. Traditional models—often institutional or clinic-based—are increasingly being replaced or complemented by innovative SMI treatment models that emphasize community-based support, holistic care, and peer involvement. In recent months, a number of organizations have stepped forward with promising strategies designed to reshape how schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other complex mental health conditions are treated.
Firsthand Expands Community-Based Peer Support Approach
One of the most visible efforts in the space is led by firsthand, a company founded by former UnitedHealth executive Pat Kennedy. The organization recently raised $40 million to scale its peer-led, field-based model of care for individuals with serious mental illness. Instead of relying on traditional provider networks, firsthand sends trained peers—people with lived experience of mental illness—into the community to engage individuals in need. These care guides help clients navigate housing, medical treatment, behavioral health care, and social services.
This is a prime example of how innovative SMI treatment models are departing from legacy systems. By building trust at the grassroots level, firsthand is not only reducing emergency room visits and psychiatric hospitalizations but also creating sustainable pathways to recovery.
Amae Health Introduces Whole-Person Approach to Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder
Los Angeles–based Amae Health is another newcomer developing care models specifically tailored to SMI. With a clinical leadership team rooted in psychiatry and behavioral medicine, Amae delivers integrated outpatient and intensive outpatient programs that target both the medical and psychosocial dimensions of illness. Patients benefit from coordinated care that includes psychiatry, therapy, primary care, family education, and peer support.
Their approach reflects the broader shift toward innovative SMI treatment models that seek to address the underlying conditions—such as trauma, chronic stress, and social disconnection—that often accompany SMI. By treating the whole person rather than just the symptoms, Amae aims to improve both outcomes and quality of life.
Vanna Health Puts Peer Engagement at the Center of Care
Founded by former Medicare and Medicaid administrator Andy Slavitt, Vanna Health is also doubling down on the power of peer support. Vanna provides community-based care coordination for Medicaid patients with SMI, combining behavioral health services, social support, and technology. Their model is built on the belief that those who have lived through SMI are uniquely equipped to help others do the same.
These strategies are rooted in innovative SMI treatment models that prioritize relationships, autonomy, and purpose over mere symptom management. Vanna’s leadership has emphasized that SMI care should be as much about building lives as treating diagnoses—a sentiment that increasingly resonates with policymakers and payers.
Akin Launches to Support SMI Caregivers
In tandem with patient-centered solutions, several companies are also focusing on those who support individuals with serious mental illness. Akin, formerly known as Givers, raised $12 million to develop a platform that assists caregivers—often family members—in managing the complexities of SMI. Their tools include AI-based care coordination, medication reminders, and mental health resources designed to reduce burnout and increase caregiver resilience.
This caregiver-centered philosophy complements the growing emphasis on innovative SMI treatment models that recognize care as a family and community endeavor. Akin’s platform seeks to ensure that the support network around a person with SMI is just as informed and empowered as the clinicians providing care.
Innovive Health Provides At-Home Psychiatric Nursing
Another example of forward-thinking SMI care is Innovive Health, which specializes in at-home psychiatric nursing. Based in the Northeast, Innovive serves Medicaid recipients with serious mental illness who may be homebound or living in unstable environments. Their nurses provide regular in-home visits, monitor medications, and act as a bridge between patients and community providers.
This delivery system not only reduces hospitalizations and institutional care, but also represents one of the most practical applications of innovative SMI treatment models—bringing services to where patients live, rather than requiring them to navigate complex systems to receive care.
Value-Based Care Incentivizes Better SMI Outcomes
What unites these emerging players is their alignment with value-based care. Instead of being reimbursed based on volume, many of these organizations are part of contracts that reward improved outcomes—such as reduced psychiatric admissions, lower emergency utilization, and better medication adherence. Innovative SMI treatment models thrive in these environments because they emphasize long-term engagement, cost-efficiency, and population health outcomes.
Payers and Medicaid agencies have taken note. States like California, New York, and North Carolina are actively piloting community-based care initiatives that rely on similar philosophies. If successful, these efforts could scale nationally and fundamentally alter the behavioral health care landscape.
Challenges Remain in Scaling and Measuring Impact
Despite their promise, these new approaches face barriers. Licensing regulations, reimbursement limitations, and data integration hurdles can slow progress. Moreover, measuring the impact of innovative SMI treatment models is not always straightforward, particularly when outcomes go beyond traditional metrics like hospital days or medication adherence.
Still, early results from programs like firsthand and Vanna are encouraging. As more payers, providers, and policymakers prioritize serious mental illness as a public health crisis, support for nontraditional care models will likely continue to grow.
The Future of SMI Care Is Rooted in Innovation
The behavioral health industry is long overdue for transformation—particularly in how it serves those with the most complex needs. Innovative SMI treatment models are not just buzzwords; they represent a paradigm shift toward community-rooted, person-centered, and outcomes-driven care.
Whether through peer-led navigation, integrated care teams, or caregiver tech platforms, these new entrants are expanding the definition of what quality SMI care can be. As the industry looks ahead, it is clear that innovation will be essential in shaping a more humane and effective system of care for serious mental illness.
