MIAMI, FL / NEW YORK, NY — May, 2025 — Brave Health, a leading virtual mental health provider focused on Medicaid populations, and Ophelia, an innovative virtual provider of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD), today announced a partnership based on their shared commitment to providing affordable, high-quality care for people with OUD.
The need for expanded treatment access has never been more critical. According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, 3.8 percent of American adults—over 10 million people—misuse opioids each year. Despite this widespread need, significant barriers to comprehensive care remain, particularly for those covered by Medicaid and other vulnerable populations.
"At Brave, we believe mental health and substance use treatment shouldn't exist in silos - because people don't heal in silos," said Dr. Amit Parikh, Chief Medical Officer at Brave Health. "True recovery means treating the whole person, not just one diagnosis at a time. That's why we're proud to partner with Ophelia, expanding access to evidence-based MAT alongside therapy and psychiatry. Together, we're making sure that people get the comprehensive, compassionate care they deserve - without barriers, without exclusions, and without stigma."
“Opioid addiction is about 4 times as prevalent among Medicaid populations.” Arthur Robin Williams, Chief Medical Officer at Ophelia. “It is critical to increase access to lifesaving services for these beneficiaries. We’re proud to have this partnership with Brave to ensure that all patients get access to comprehensive mental health care.”
The partnership comes at a critical time when access to mental health and addiction services remains challenging for millions of Americans, particularly those covered by Medicaid. Nearly one in four Americans receive healthcare through Medicaid, yet two-thirds of providers don't accept it, creating significant barriers to care.
Through this collaboration:
- Patients with OUD receiving mental health services through Brave Health will gain streamlined access to Ophelia's evidence-based medication-assisted treatment
- Individuals in Ophelia's program will benefit from expedited referrals to Brave Health's comprehensive mental health services, including individual therapy, therapy groups and specialized programs, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and psychiatry
- Both organizations will maintain coordinated care plans to ensure patients receive holistic support addressing both mental health and substance use needs
Brave Health currently serves patients in 10 states, covering 59 million lives of Americans with government-sponsored insurance, in addition to Commercial and Health Exchange plans. Ophelia actively treats patients in 14 states and is contracted with Medicaid, Medicare, and Commercial insurers covering 85 million American lives.
For more information about this partnership or to inquire about available services, please contact Media@bebravehealth.com and/or {partnerships@ophelia.com}.
About Brave Health
Brave Health is a virtual mental health provider focused on expanding access to high-quality mental health care for Medicaid populations. By harnessing the power of technology, Brave Health breaks down barriers and brings mental health treatment directly to those who need it most. As a community health-centered organization, Brave Health is dedicated to making mental health care accessible, affordable, and life-changing for all.
About Ophelia
Ophelia is a virtual provider of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD), committed to making evidence-based treatment universally accessible. Its mission is to remove barriers for the 80% of Americans with OUD who are unable to access care and the 50,000+ MAT clinicians who are unable to treat patients due to a lack of infrastructure, training, and support. At its core is the Ophelia Care Model, a team-based clinical model and software platform developed by leading experts in addiction medicine and psychiatry.
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