Bridging the Gap in Mental Health Care With Digital Therapeutic Tools

The demand for mental health care continues to outpace available support.¹ According to Mental Health America, nearly 1 in 5 American adults will have a diagnosable mental health condition in any given year.^1,2 However, nearly 55% of adults with mental illness do not receive any mental health treatment.¹ The current national ratio of individuals with mental illness to available mental health providers is 340:1, demonstrating a significant gap in care.³ For instance, Massachusetts is the state ranked highest for mental health workforce availability with a ratio of 140:1 individuals to providers.³

Digital health technologies could help to bridge this gap. Various digital health tools are available to provide convenient and user-friendly mental health support.⁴ Often designed for smartphones and tablets, these patient-facing tools provide convenient accessibility at any time.^4,5 Moreover, many are supported by randomized controlled trials demonstrating significant benefits on key clinical outcomes for various mental health disorders.^4,5  

Digital health tools fall into three main categories based on their intended purpose. Wellness and support tools include lifestyle and wellness apps, activity and fitness trackers, wearables, and medication reminders.⁵ They are designed to help users capture, track, store, and even transmit health data.⁵ Diagnostic and monitoring tools are used to diagnose, guide diagnoses, or actively monitor patients.⁵ Examples include wearables and biometric sensors, remote patient monitoring tools, and medication ingestible sensors.⁵  

Unlike general wellness products, digital therapeutics (DTx) deliver evidence-based and clinically validated medical interventions, behavioral treatments, and therapies for various conditions, including mental health. DTx are delivered directly to the patient through software and are used as independent interventions or in concert with other medications, devices, or therapies to optimize patient outcomes.^5,7 In this way, DTx can reduce barriers to treatment and may help alleviate clinician burnout.⁴ Importantly, DTx products are reviewed and regulated to ensure safety and effectiveness for their intended use.⁶  

DTx can offer effective and accessible solutions to existing gaps in care. With technology-driven interventions, patients can receive personalized, evidence-based care anytime. Healthcare providers may also benefit from streamlined treatment approaches and improved efficiency. As the mental health crisis continues, digital health solutions will likely play an increasingly valuable role in delivering care to individuals in need.   

References:  

1. Quick facts and statistics about mental health. Mental Health America. Accessed March 3, 2025.  https://mhanational.org/quick-facts/
2. Mental health by the numbers. National Alliance on Mental Illness. Accessed March 3, 2025.  https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/mental-health-by-the-numbers/  
3. Reinert, M, Fritze, D, Nguyen, T. The State of Mental Health in America 2024. Mental Health America, Alexandria VA. July 2024. Accessed March 3, 2025. https://mhanational.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2024-State-of-Mental-Health-in-America-Report.pdf
4. Brezing CA, Brixner DI. The rise of prescription digital therapeutics in behavioral health. Adv Ther. 2022;39(12):5301-5306. doi:10.1007/s12325-022-02320-0
5. Digital health technology landscape. Digital Therapeutics Alliance. Updated January 2021. Accessed March 3, 2025. https://dtxalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DTA_FS_Digital-Health-Technology-Landscape_010521.pdf
6. Dang A, Arora D, Rane P. Role of digital therapeutics and the changing future of healthcare. J Family Med Prim Care. 2020;9(5):2207-2213. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_105_20
7. Understanding DTx: a new category of medicine. Digital Therapeutics Alliance. Accessed March 3, 2025. https://www.dtxalliance

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