Hopelab Announces Strategic Partnership with Vita Health

San Francisco, CA — Today, Hopelab, a progressive force in social impact investing focused on advancing technology-driven solutions for youth mental health, announced its strategic partnership with Vita Health. A virtual behavioral health company, Vita Health specializes in data-driven and well-studied solutions for complex and high-value mental health problems including providing suicide intervention services and essential mental health support through a proprietary telehealth platform tailored for individuals ages 12 to 24 years. This alliance embodies Hopelab’s dedication to supporting investments aimed at fostering positive mental health outcomes for underserved young people, particularly those within the LGBTQ+ and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.

Eric Stinehart, Impact Investor at Hopelab, emphasized the significance of this partnership, stating, “Vita Health is on a mission to construct a groundbreaking, clinically validated, and highly scalable solution for teen suicide prevention. We recognize the immense potential of Vita Health’s proprietary telehealth platform to extend its reach into underserved communities with the highest needs. Mental health support of this nature is critically necessary, especially within populations where we have witnessed alarming rises in suicide attempts, notably among LGBTQ+ and Black youth.”

With support from the Hopelab Ventures portfolio of services, Vita Health plans to scale its telehealth services to address an array of challenges facing historically underserved young people. This partnership represents a significant opportunity towards achieving greater equity and accessibility to mental health resources for all.

“Hopelab and Vita Health are united in our commitment to laying the foundation for the flourishing of the next generation,” said Lynn Hamilton, Vita Health’s Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “Our mission to combat escalating suicide rates resonates with Hopelab’s vision of shaping a future where young people can thrive. Through our collective endeavors, we aspire to usher in an era where young individuals are empowered and supported throughout their mental health journeys.”

Marginalized communities, such as LGBTQ+ youth, have experienced a disconcerting 45% surge in rates of suicidal thoughts. Moreover, the distressing trend of rising Black suicide rates, which had been among the nation’s lowest before 2000, underscores the vital role of online tools like Vita Health, which delivers evidence-based mental health support swiftly and effectively. In the past two decades, Black suicide rates have steadily increased, with young Black individuals being particularly vulnerable. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rates among those aged 10 to 24 witnessed a staggering 36.6% increase from 2018 to 2021, marking the largest percentage rise within any demographic.

Hopelab’s investment in Vita Health follows its recent announcement of a strategic partnership with TRACE, a free platform dedicated to affirming transgender and non-binary individuals during their transitions. This further expands its impact in the LGBTQ+ space and reaffirms its commitment to driving positive change within these communities.

About Hopelab
Hopelab is a transformative social innovation lab and impact investor working to support the mental well-being of adolescents, ages 10-25, especially BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth. Through targeted social impact investments, youth-centered design and research support, and translational science partnerships, the organization leverages 20+ years of co-creation experience to influence systems change while centering health equity. Learn more at hopelab.org.

About Vita Health
Vita Health is a behavioral health company built to tackle the most costly and complex mental health illnesses, some of which can not find proven care elsewhere in the healthcare system. This includes offering effective suicide interventions and general mental health therapy via timely, quality care for individuals 12 and older. The company was founded by a unique mix of leading mental health researchers, clinicians and entrepreneurs.