BeWellLine Reaches Milestone of 100,000 Care Encounters with Californians
Free Emotional Support Chat and Phone Warmline Aims to Help People Feel Better
Dana Point, California — A free emotional support chat and phone warmline is marking a big milestone in its efforts to help Californians feel better and find resources to get help, no matter their struggles.
BeWellLine recently recorded its 100,000th care encounter, a combination of online chats, videos, and phone calls with California residents who reached out for a listening ear, support, and advice while struggling with mental health situations.
It’s a unique approach to care that combines Mental Health First Aid with social and emotional support from Peer Crisis Support Specialists, and the data shows it’s been a successful way of helping people. In fact, a remarkable 94% of individuals who engaged with the BeWellLine and participated in our survey said they found their conversations to be helpful. Additionally, 91% of people who reached out with substance use/abuse struggles said they felt better after their interaction, and 90% of those with anxiety found relief by contacting the BeWellLine team.
BeWellLine is an Alter Health Group™ effort to make a difference across California, especially for teenagers and younger adults facing a challenging situation. More than 12% of the people who reached out were 18-25, and 27% were between the ages of 26 and 40.
"As we embark on this purposeful journey, walking alongside 100,000 Californians through BeWellLine, we're not only redefining efficacy through innovation in emotional support, but also laying the foundation for a nationwide impact,” said Nilou Nekou, LMFT, Chief Clinical Officer. “Every heartfelt connection forged is a stride towards empowering communities well beyond, as we look forward to extending our reach with the same dedication."
This unique support service has been awarded two grants to do this work, beginning in February 2021 with more than $2 million from FEMA through the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) and California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).
Earlier this year, more than $5 million of additional funding was awarded by CalMHSA to support the state’s CalHOPE mental health initiative and continue helping people in the state.
“Alter Health Group and its BeWellLine have been a great resource for Californians recovering from the COVID pandemic,” said Kim Flores, Project Manager of the CalHOPE Support Program. “They have been a trustworthy, well-managed, and data-driven partner, and we have relied on them to staff our calhopeconnect.org chat app for over two years. CalMHSA congratulates Alter Health on its accomplishments.”
People who reach out to BeWellLine can receive unlimited free emotional support sessions with trained peer counselors. If they could benefit from higher levels of mental healthcare, they are referred to Mindfuli, Alter Health Group’s virtual mental health therapy platform in California, and other applicable resources.
The future of BeWellLine will involve continuing down its transformational path to create a new era of mental health warmline support, which is built on a foundation of providing longitudinal care — a departure from the conventional single-encounter model. The goal is to pioneer a continuum of care to expand nationwide that ensures ongoing support and empowerment for people seeking mental health assistance.
Central to this transformation is BeWellline’s commitment to leveraging innovation and technology, aligning its mission of fostering holistic well-being and providing ongoing care that can make a real difference. It isn’t just about improving existing services; instead, this involves revolutionizing the way mental health support is delivered, how and where and when people need it. This no-cost approach to care is an early prevention and diversionary resource to support the mental health and well-being of broad populations, resulting in improved access and equity to care.
"With compassion as our guiding light, BeWellLine proudly celebrates 100,000 impactful care sessions, recognizing that this milestone is just the beginning. As a committed member of this team, I can affirm our ethical and innovative approach is not only changing lives in California, but also setting the stage for a nationwide transformation. We're steadfast in our mission to nurture well-being, one impactful care session at a time, as we eagerly anticipate the journey ahead," said Anthony Barrila, BeWellLine’s Outreach Director.
Learn more about BeWellLine and its work by visiting its website or calling 866-349-6597.
About Alter Health Group™
Alter Health Group™ provides a range of mental health services that combine the latest science and evidence-based treatment with compassion and understanding to help people recover, grow, and build a better life than they had before. To that end, its network of mental health facilities provides a diverse array of treatments and services that aim to promote holistic healing. With several locations in Southern California, Alter Health Group™ is proud to serve people throughout California and beyond.
