
New tech for mental health care is constantly cropping up. There are apps to manage anxiety, tools to track bouts of insomnia, systems designed to detect depression through a person’s voice, and algorithms that aim to prevent suicide.
Experts agree there’s a clear need for change in mental health care. Half of Americans are diagnosed with a mental health condition at some point in their life, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But mental health care remains out of reach for many patients for a range of reasons. It’s expensive. There’s a shortage of specialized providers. Existing treatments don’t always work.