LGBTQIA+ focused digital healthcare provider FOLX Health announced a partnership with Crisis Text Line, to provide 24/7 free text-based mental health support services to FOLX members.

Crisis Text Line is a global nonprofit organization that provides free, confidential text-based mental health support offered in English and Spanish. 

The partnership will increase access to support for FOLX members amidst an escalating mental health epidemic affecting the LGBTQIA+ community. 

Through the partnership, FOLX members can text 741741 to reach live volunteer crisis counselors, and will have access to trained counselors around the clock. 

Fifty percent of the texters who use Crisis Text Line identify as LGBTQIA+, and 9% identify as trans, agender or genderqueer. A quarter of the nonprofit's users report they have no one else to communicate their mental health concerns to.

"At FOLX Health, we recognize the disproportionate challenges our members face, with mental health issues occurring at rates four to five times higher than the general population, and yet, we've found that our affirming and expert care focused on the needs of the queer community has led to transformative outcomes," Liana Douillet Guzmán, CEO of FOLX Health, said in a statement. 

"In a healthcare landscape ill-equipped to meet our needs, FOLX is committed to forging a comprehensive healthcare haven accessible to all. Our partnership with Crisis Text Line ensures that no matter what the circumstance or where you are, our members have a direct line to trained, mental health counselors when they need it."

THE LARGER TREND

Boston-based FOLX Health raised $30 million in a Series B funding round in 2022, led by 7wireVentures. Additional contributors to the funding round included Foresite Capital, Define Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners and Polaris Partners. 

FOLX also released an enterprise product, allowing companies to offer virtual home care, hormone replacement therapy and support for parents. In addition, the company launched a community platform for users to find peer groups, health resources and live events. 

Last year, the healthcare startup gained in-network provider status with Blue Shield of California, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, Optum mental and behavioral health services in Colorado and Florida, Cigna, and Cigna's subsidiary Evernorth's mental and behavioral health services in Florida.

In February social impact software company BlackBaud announced an annual gift to Crisis Text Line in order to help the nonprofit expand services to parts of Latin America and Australia. Currently, the mental health helpline offers service in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Ireland.