“The needs are exploding, but the resources are decreasing.” Mental health start-ups on the starting blocks after Michel Barnier’s announcements

Qare, Petit BamBou, Kwit… The founders of these applications, which are among the most popular in their sector, united within the MentalTech association, have long hoped for it. It is now done, or nearly so. On Sunday, September 22, a guest on France 2 news, Prime Minister Michel Barnier announced that he wants to make mental health the national agenda of 2025, without elaborating.

It should be said that there is an emergency. According to WHO data, 13 million French people suffer from mental disorders every year, and two million of them are treated by psychiatric medicine. In 2020, the Covid crisis did not help. One in eight people aged 18 to 85 suffered from a depressive episode, according to the 2021 French Public Health Barometer, with women particularly affected, 15% of them, compared to 9% of men, such as young people. The incidence rate among 18-24 year olds increased from 11.7% in 2017 to 20.8% in 2021. The same observation in the working world. In 2019, there were twice as many work-related psychological disorders among workers as in 2007, according to a study by Public Health France published last March. Here again women suffer more than men.

Public psychiatry is in trouble

Obviously the lights are red. Just like the state of psychiatric services, which is regularly described as “poor public hospital relations”. While France had 15,500 psychiatrists in 2022, more than the OECD average, it had just 32,000 full-time hospital beds in 2018, or 60% less than 50 years ago, according to the Social Affairs Inspectorate. Not to mention that 30% of public hospital positions remain unfilled, according to the French Federation of Psychiatry.

Although it remains to be seen, Michel Barnier’s statement should raise some hopes among people concerned with mental health. Including in the startup ecosystem that develops many digital tools for support and remote therapy. But niche entrepreneurs want to be careful, as psychologist Delphine Pee, a member of MentalTech’s board of directors, explains.

Working without consulting psychologists and caregivers puts a band-aid on a much bigger problem

Delphine Pye, Board Member, MentalTech

Madame Figaro. – How did you accept this statement?
Delphine P. – We have been waiting and asking for a long time, so it did not surprise us. But my fear, shared by many other mental health professionals, is that we are left with a simple statement effect. We are waiting for the next one and hope for concrete results, new measures and, above all, collective reflection. Real solutions will only be found by bringing together all the stakeholders involved. The founders of Qare or Petit Bambou have already been consulted by the government, but My Psychological Support System (which allowed reimbursement for psychotherapy sessions, Editor’s Note) was designed without consulting psychologists, which is unfortunate.

For what?
Because working without consulting psychologists and caregivers puts a band-aid on a much bigger problem. We digital mental health actors also have a role to play as we respond to the impasse. Due to the lack of resources, the time required to receive treatment is longer. You have to wait months to get a place in the medical-psychological center. As needs explode but resources dwindle, we offer valuable solutions.

What measures do you expect?
First, investments in public services and prevention, which remain a priority. Then, for companies, we can imagine a relaxation of certain rules or compensation for therapeutic applications, as is done in other European countries. Entrepreneurs also need more funding to process their applications as it is expensive. Of course, our solutions do not replace physical care, but they allow you to personalize the care path, save caregivers’ time, or complement the care provided by a psychologist or psychiatrist.

Digital solutions don’t replace physical care, but they do offer advantages

Digital health also raises many questions…
Absolutely, reflection on ethics will be essential, from the issue of personal data to the potential dehumanization of care, including the new challenges posed by artificial intelligence. This is the reason why we want to work with the state authorities. It is about controlling practice and erecting ethical barriers. Our dual expertise in mental health and digital technology can benefit government.