How Digital Tools Can Scale Behavioral Health Support Across Hospitals and Communities

As hospitals and health systems look for sustainable and scalable solutions to help address rising behavioral health needs across the country, digital tools are emerging as important ways to extend support and ensure personalized care.

The American Hospital Association and CredibleMind recently cohosted the AHA Affinity Forum: Advancing Population-based Behavioral Health Inside and Outside the Hospital Walls. This multipart series explored how hospitals and health systems can strengthen behavioral health prevention and treatment for patients, staff and communities.

While the first affinity forum session focused on the “why” of population behavioral health, a second session, “Leveraging Digital Health for Scalable Mental Health Solutions,” went deeper into the “how.” It highlighted what scaled support looks like in practice, how it fits into real workflows and why digital access is now essential for modern behavioral health strategies.

Health care experts leading this discussion were:

• Nancy Myers | Vice President of Leadership and System Innovation, American Hospital Association
• Deryk Van Brunt, Dr.P.H. | CEO, CredibleMind, and Clinical Professor, UC Berkeley School of Public Health
• Debbie Zuerner | Director of Community Engagement, Owensboro Health
• Julie Orben | Project Manager, Mental Health Matters, Columbus Regional Health

Why Digital Access Matters

When discussing using digital tools to increase behavioral health care access, it’s first important to understand the backdrop upon which the conversation is built.

• Rates of depression, anxiety and PTSD remain elevated, even after the COVID-19 pandemic.
• A third of the U.S. population lives in areas designated as mental health care professional shortage areas.
• Three out of four people experiencing mental distress simply want to know what they can do now to feel better.

Screening, self-care and navigation can begin long before a crisis, which reduces the burden on clinical systems and helps individuals take action sooner.

A Scalable Model for Population Behavioral Health

A new model is beginning to take shape in hospitals and communities to scale behavioral health care and support. At its core, this model blends prevention, early intervention and navigation with digital access points that meet people where they are and make it easier to take the first step. Several foundational components are proving to be essential:

1. A digital front door to behavioral health. People are often just seeking a starting point. A digital front door brings together the essentials in one place, allowing individuals to:

• Learn about mental health topics.
• Access vetted, evidence-based resources.
• Take assessments.
• Understand their risk levels.
• Navigate to peer support, coaching, therapy, crisis care or local resources.

2. Early risk identification. Validated assessments give individuals immediate insights into what they are experiencing and which next steps make the most sense. In communities with long waitlists or limited clinical supply, this early clarity helps match the demand for care to the appropriate type of support.

3. Personalized self-care. People learn and engage differently. Digital platforms can tailor recommendations based on what individuals explore, the types of strategies that resonate with them and how they prefer to receive information, such as via a video, Smartphone app, brief practice, story, podcast or structured course.

4. Data to guide hospital or health systems’ decisions. Aggregated behavioral health data offers a real-time view into emerging needs. Organizations can see:

• Which behavioral health needs are increasing.
• Where risk is concentrated.
• Which populations are engaging.
• Which resources are most useful.

5. Navigation to higher levels of care. For higher-risk individuals, clear pathways connect them to appropriate services such as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, local crisis resources, or hospital or health system programs. Making these connections ensures that clinical care is reserved for those who need it most, while others receive meaningful support earlier.

Case Examples from the Field

Columbus Regional Health in Indiana and Owensboro Health in Kentucky have used digital tools to strengthen behavioral health support inside and outside hospital walls.

Columbus Regional Health: Reducing Stigma Through Trusted Messengers

After a community needs assessment elevated mental health as a top health priority, Columbus Regional Health:

• Launched CredibleMind’s accessible, evidence-based resource.
• Built a “Standing Up Against Stigma” campaign.
• Created an ambassador network of volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds.
• Placed QR codes on materials like coasters, cards, coffee sleeves, doula cards and grief support resources to meet people where they are and share information.

Ambassadors completed Mental Health First Aid training and now extend the health system’s reach into schools, workplaces and community events, helping bring conversations about behavioral health into everyday life.

Owensboro Health: A Multicounty, Multipartner Collaborative

Owensboro Health used digital tools to help unify an 18-county region with limited clinical capacity. Strategies included:

• Integrating the CredibleMind platform into a hospital-led mental health collaborative.
• Forming partnerships with public health, schools, community colleges and local behavioral health providers.
• Creating an awareness campaign with yard signs, stickers, QR codes and bathroom stall posters.
• Monitoring usage to guide strategy, including conducting assessments; more than 10,000 assessments were completed, with strong engagement among teens and young adults.

According to Debbie Zuerner, director of community engagement at Owensboro Health, “We cannot hire ourselves out of this provider shortage. We need solutions that help people begin with self-care and then seek additional intervention when they need it.”

The Role of AI and the Guardrails That Matter

As technology and artificial intelligence become more ingrained into daily life, it is important to leverage them as tools that improve safety, efficiency and personalization. Insights shared by forum speakers for hospitals and health systems leading this charge:

• Behind-the-scenes AI can analyze patterns, identify insights and summarize large amounts of content.
• AI can help guide individuals through personalized intervention pathways and offer timely recommendations.
• Guardrails are essential to ensure that any recommendations come only from vetted and evidence-based sources.

Collaboration is the Catalyst

Both Columbus Regional Health and Owensboro Health emphasized that digital tools work best when paired with real-world partnerships. Schools, employers, libraries, public health departments, crisis centers and faith-based groups all play a role in reducing stigma about behavioral health and helping people find reliable support.

Digital platforms provide reach. Community partners build trust.

From Insight to Impact

Scalable behavioral health support requires technology and community engagement. Digital tools personalize support, reduce stigma and free up clinical capacity when they are woven into daily life.

Hospitals and health systems do not need to address behavioral health on their own, but they can lead the charge by giving every person an accessible and trustworthy place to begin.

Resources to Continue the Conversation