Hurdle

Hurdle Health was a digital mental health platform providing culturally sensitive teletherapy services, primarily for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and other minority communities. The company was founded as Henry Health in 2018 by Kevin Dedner and was headquartered in Washington, D.C. Dedner, who has a Master of Public Health and over two decades of experience in the public health sector, was inspired to create Hurdle based on his own personal struggles with depression and the difficulty he faced finding a therapist who could understand the impact of his racialized experiences as a Black man. This experience highlighted a systemic issue, as research shows that many individuals from minority backgrounds terminate therapy prematurely due to a poor provider fit.

The company's core offering was a virtual therapy platform that connected users with licensed therapists trained in cultural humility and responsiveness. Hurdle developed a proprietary, evidence-based training model and a scientifically-validated tool to measure cultural responsiveness, ensuring its therapists were equipped to address issues of race, ethnicity, and culture. The platform's services were designed to treat various stressors, including racism, anger, and PTSD, using established clinical practices like cognitive behavioral therapy. Initially, Hurdle operated on a direct-to-consumer model but later shifted its strategy to work directly with employers and payers, such as United Healthcare, Aetna, and Cigna, to broaden access.

Hurdle raised a total of $12.7 million over several funding rounds, including a significant $5 million seed round in January 2021 co-led by .406 Ventures and Seae Ventures. This funding was intended to scale its platform and expand its reach across the United States. The company demonstrated considerable growth, expanding its services to numerous states with plans for further national expansion. In August 2023, Hurdle Health was acquired by Youme Healthcare, which subsequently rebranded to Backpack Healthcare. The acquisition was a strategic move for Backpack Healthcare to enhance its capabilities in providing culturally intentional mental health care for children and adolescents. Kevin Dedner commented that Hurdle's legacy of using a multicultural framework would continue through Backpack Healthcare's stewardship.

Keywords: culturally intentional therapy, telemental health, BIPOC mental health, digital health, teletherapy, multicultural framework, behavioral health, Kevin Dedner, culturally responsive care, mental health equity, diverse communities, virtual therapy, Black mental health, Backpack Healthcare, Henry Health, .406 Ventures, mental healthcare access, cultural humility, provider fit, health equity