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BraveHealth presents telehealth model for faster access to mental health care
Summary
BraveHealth told the Behavioral Health Advisory Board it uses SMS links and a clinician‑led model to reduce barriers to care, and said its approach yields faster first appointments and lower readmission rates.
Representatives from BraveHealth described the company's telehealth model and referral workflow to the Behavioral Health Advisory Board on Sept. 22.
Alex Jerezas, who said he oversees BraveHealth's work in Florida and other states, and local representative Yomaira Perea explained the company’s emphasis on reducing technological hurdles for patients. Jerezas said BraveHealth avoids an app‑download model and instead sends patients an SMS with a link to consent and join a session.
“We text the patient a link, they click that link, it opens up a browser, they sign their consent form,” Jerezas said. He added the company uses clinician‑led teams instead of a rotating contractor model so patients see the same provider over time.
BraveHealth said it treats patients age 13 and up and is credentialed across Medicaid, Medicare, marketplace plans and more than 200 payers. The presenters said the company was founded in 2017, expanded during the COVID‑era telehealth surge and now operates in 14 states.
Jerezas cited internal performance figures to describe outcomes for patients who engage with BraveHealth: a 73 percent reduction in hospital readmissions for engaged patients, an average first‑appointment wait of about 4.5 to 6.8 days from initial contact, and an average length of care of around seven months compared with a national average of 5.5 months. The presenters said those figures reflect their internal analyses and that county‑specific client counts were not available at the meeting.
When asked how many clients BraveHealth serves in Miami‑Dade County, the presenter said that number was not recalled and “I couldn't tell you that number exactly, but I can get back to you.” The company representative said BraveHealth has treated “a hundred and some odd thousand patients” in the state since 2017, but not that number specifically in Dade County.
BraveHealth described an encrypted referral form for case managers and hospital staff that triggers an automated workflow and sends referrers an immediate notification; presenters said referrers receive appointment confirmation within two to four hours and are notified whether the patient attends or no‑shows.
Board members asked whether BraveHealth provides case management; the company said it works closely with case managers but does not provide direct case management services.
