Talkspace Awarded $3 Million Federal Grant to Study Groundbreaking Treatment for PTSD
November 10 2021 - 8:00AM
Business Wire
National Institute of Mental Health Grant Will
Fund Study Examining Effectiveness of Cognitive Processing Therapy
(CPT) in Treating PTSD and Other Traumas Virtually
Today, Talkspace (NASDAQ: TALK), a leading online behavioral
health care company, announced it has been awarded a $3 million
grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to study
the effectiveness of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) – a
well-established treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) – in a virtual setting. As millions of Americans – including
veterans, sexual assault survivors, and others – continue to battle
PTSD and other trauma related challenges, this research seeks to
explore and unlock the potential of delivering CPT through digital
channels, with the goal of dramatically expanding access to care
for those most in need.
The new study will build on preliminary research undertaken by
Talkspace which found that combining CPT with virtual tools could
reduce trauma symptoms by twice as much over treatment as usual,
and in less time. The pilot study of 60 participants utilized a
hybrid model that offered educational experiences in conjunction
with therapy. Results demonstrated that patients are able to
achieve greater outcomes and that specially trained trauma
therapists are able to assist more individuals in processing events
and challenges than they could before.
“The mental health crisis in America is at an inflection point
20 months into the pandemic, and it’s more important than ever to
explore new ways to deliver treatment to patients right where they
are,” said Varun Choudhary, MD, MA, DFAPA, Chief Medical Officer
of Talkspace. “Through this study, Talkspace is once again at
the forefront of research and discovery in tele-mental health, and
thanks to the NIMH and our outstanding research partners, we will
be able to discover and better understand the impact of providing
treatment through virtual channels.”
In conjunction with Talkspace, the three-year study will be led
by principal investigators Shannon Wiltsey-Stirman, PhD, Associate
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Services at the Stanford
University School of Medicine, and Katy Dondanville, PsyD, ABPP,
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at The
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (also
known as UT Health San Antonio). The study will begin recruiting
participants in March 2022 and CPT services will be offered in both
English and Spanish on the Talkspace platform.
"Especially after the toll the pandemic has taken on our mental
health, it's critical to find innovative and effective avenues for
treating trauma and PTSD," said Dr. Katy Dondanville of UT Health
San Antonio. "I’m excited to study how delivery of CPT through
messaging can give people the care they need in a manner that is
convenient and accessible for them.”
Previous Talkspace research found that multimedia message
therapy for PTSD treatment was as effective in reducing symptoms as
traditional therapy. This new grant comes on the heels of two other
grants Talkspace received earlier this year from the National
Institute of Mental Health, totaling nearly $7 million, to examine
the experiences of tele-mental health and tele-therapy services for
patients.
About Talkspace
Talkspace is a leading virtual behavioral healthcare company
enabled by a purpose-built technology platform. As a digital
healthcare company, all care is delivered through an easy-to-use
and fully encrypted web and mobile platform, consistent with HIPAA
and other state regulatory requirements.
Today, the need for care feels more urgent than ever. When
seeking treatment, whether it's psychiatry or adolescent,
individual or couples therapy, Talkspace offers treatment options
for almost every need. With Talkspace, members can send their
dedicated therapists text, video, and voice messages anytime, from
anywhere, and engage in live video sessions. As of June 2021, over
2 million people have used Talkspace, and over 55 million lives
were covered for Talkspace through insurance and employee
assistance programs or other network behavioral health paid benefit
programs.
For more information about Talkspace commercial relationships,
visit https://business.talkspace.com. To learn more about online
therapy, please visit
https://www.talkspace.com/online-therapy/.
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Vig Tharmarajah | vtharmarajah@skdknick.com | 917-485-1410
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