NeuroFlow, a digital provider of behavioral health care coordination services, has been awarded a contract to have its platform accessed by midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy (USNA).
Philadelphia-based NeuroFlow announced the news Tuesday.
The platform will be available for the incoming fall USNA class, who will have access to a secure app that contains tailored educational resources, health surveys and activities designed to support behavioral wellness.
From there, NeuroFlow’s platform compiles patient engagement data, which it then shares with providers to help inform care decisions regarding both behavioral and physical health.
The services are designed to assist midshipmen during their 47-month journey toward becoming commissioned naval officers. Program participation is voluntary, with the platform originally introduced to USNA midshipmen in April.
“As we prepare to welcome a new class to Annapolis, it’s our goal to create an environment that recognizes the impact mental health has on overall health,” Commander Randy Reese, the director of the Midshipman Development Center at the USNA, said in a press release announcing the NeuroFlow contract. “We’re always exploring new ways to support the overall wellness of students and proactively offer resources to those in need.”
USNA said its students were expressing demand for behavioral wellness and resiliency resources even before the NeuroFlow contract. Such is the case for students nationwide.
The number of students receiving mental health treatment at colleges and universities has increased by 35% since 2014, according to research conducted by the Associated Press. The increase is seven times higher than the rise in total enrollment.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 has only exacerbated that trend.
Among college students, over 90% have reported experiencing a negative mental health condition during the pandemic, according to higher education information website BestColleges.com.
USNA, in recent years, has also seen a rise in demand for mental health assistance among its student body, with the numbers on par with increases at higher education institutions nationwide. The pandemic has also been attributed to worsening mental health conditions among midshipmen.
“Graduating from one of the Academies myself, I know how difficult it can be to report a symptom of deteriorating mental health and the challenges of being away from family and friends for long periods of time,” NeuroFlow CEO Chris Molaro said in the press release.
Molaro is a graduate of the United States Military Academy.
“What we’re able to do with the Naval Academy is develop an early-stage foundation of wellness, resiliency, and self-investment in personal health,” Molaro added. “We also want the USNA’s clinical staff to have the insights they need to support the overall health of the Midshipmen.”
Founded in 2017, NeuroFlow has raised $31 million in funding to date, according to fundraising tracking site Crunchbase. The company’s most recent round was in January, when it netted $20 million in Series B funding led by managed care organization Magellan Health (Nasdaq: MGLN).
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