Memphis Extends Talkspace Partnership, Expands Mental Health Services to Dependents 13+
Talkspace (NASDAQ: TALK), a leading online behavioral healthcare company, announced it will continue supporting the City of Memphis for a fifth consecutive year by providing free virtual therapy and mental health resources. The new initiative will extend to the City’s ~8,000 employees and their dependents aged 13 and above. This ongoing partnership underscores the City of Memphis’ commitment to prioritizing the mental health and well-being of its workforce and their families.
Since January 2021, Talkspace has provided City of Memphis employees with accessible, confidential, and convenient mental health support through its virtual platform. With a strong focus on the well-being of the workforce, this service enables employees to be matched with licensed therapists who provide live sessions via video, audio, or live chat, or communicate asynchronously through secure messaging. Now, in its fifth year, the program has expanded to include dependents aged 13 and up, further reflecting the City’s commitment to mental health support for both employees and their families.
The City of Memphis has been at the forefront of prioritizing the mental health of its employees, recognizing the importance of their mental well-being, especially those working in high-stress or essential roles. By continuing this partnership, the City of Memphis emphasizes its dedication to ensuring a supportive and resilient workplace.
“From performing key services to protecting Memphis residents on the front lines, our employees are the backbone of our city, and their mental health is a priority,” said Fonda Fouche, Chief Human Resources Officer for the City of Memphis. “Extending Talkspace services for a fifth year demonstrates our unwavering commitment to fostering a supportive workplace where our team members can thrive both personally and professionally. We are also the first public sector client in Tennessee,” Fouche continued.
Talkspace’s platform provides an ideal solution by offering flexible mental health care that can be accessed from anywhere, at any time, by employees and their dependents. This service is accessible through a HIPAA-compliant, encrypted platform that ensures privacy for all interactions.
The flexibility of the service also means that employees and their families can reach out to licensed professionals whenever they need support, whether they are dealing with stress, trauma, or day-to-day challenges. “Whether working through trauma, building tools for stress management, or simply getting something off their chest, Talkspace is here to ensure that City of Memphis employees and their families have 24/7 access to our services from wherever they are with the peace of mind that what they share is secure and confidential,” said Natalie Cummins, Chief Business Officer at Talkspace.
The addition of dependents to the program marks a significant milestone. As Fonda Fouche noted, extending this service to dependents is an important step in supporting mental well-being from a young age. “We are proud to be able to extend this resource to our employees’ dependents, because we know that building resilience is a life skill that starts at a young age,” she explained. The inclusion of teens, who may face unique stressors, provides them with the opportunity to engage in mental health support at an earlier stage, helping to build lifelong coping skills and resilience.
This partnership also aligns with the growing recognition of the need for mental health support in public sector workplaces. Public sector employees, who often work in high-stress, demanding jobs, can benefit greatly from the accessibility and flexibility of virtual mental health services. By providing Talkspace’s platform, the City of Memphis is ensuring that its employees, and now their families, have an easily accessible, confidential outlet for mental health support, reinforcing the City’s broader goal of fostering a healthy, resilient workforce.
Through this partnership, Talkspace continues its mission to expand access to high-quality mental healthcare, particularly in the public sector. As part of its larger efforts, Talkspace works to break down barriers to mental health access, including geographic, financial, and time-related obstacles. “We believe that mental healthcare is core to overall health and should be available to everyone,” said the Talkspace team. By providing services on a mobile and web platform that meets HIPAA and other federal and state regulatory requirements, Talkspace ensures that employees can engage in therapy wherever they are, whenever they need it.
About Talkspace:
Talkspace (NASDAQ: TALK) is a leading virtual behavioral healthcare provider dedicated to making mental healthcare more accessible, flexible, and affordable. Through its platform, Talkspace enables individuals, teens, and couples to engage with licensed therapists for therapy sessions and psychiatric treatment, including medication management for adults.
The platform is fully encrypted and HIPAA-compliant, meeting regulatory requirements for secure and confidential communication. Talkspace partners with employers, schools, health insurers, and government agencies to make therapy more accessible, and it has already helped millions of people in the U.S. access high-quality mental healthcare through its innovative virtual platform. More than 179 million Americans can access Talkspace through various employer, school, or health insurance programs, making it one of the most widely available virtual therapy services in the country.
