Listen: firsthand’s CEO Samir Malik on the Pear Healthcare Playbook Podcast

Did you know that over 14 million adults in the US live with Serious Mental Illness (SMI)? Sadly, many of these individuals don't receive the mental health treatment they need. In fact, according to the NIH, only 65.4% of people with SMI receive mental health treatment. Serious mental illness (SMI) is defined as a mental, behavioral or emotional disorder that results in functional impairment, which limits or interferes with life activities (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, etc.).

I had the pleasure of interviewing Samir Malik, CEO and Co-Founder of firsthand, on the Pear Healthcare Playbook with Pear VC. Samir is working to transform care and the recovery journey for those with SMI. During our conversation, we discussed how firsthand is helping SMI patients engage with the healthcare ecosystem, and the challenges that come with providing care to this population.

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Listen here: https://rb.gy/quru3

Here are just a few of the key lessons I learned:

1. Safety net providers at community mental health centers perform life-changing work, but the number of individuals engaging with mental health centers is significantly lower than the number of people who could benefit from such engagement.

2. Medicaid enrollees with SMI require frequent utilization of medical services, resulting in high expenses.

3. Many resources exist to serve individuals with SMI, but accessing these benefits can be difficult for those without a stable form of communication or address.

4. Founders in this space need to focus on building what they can sell, rather than selling what they built.

If you're interested in learning more about the challenges and opportunities in providing mental health care to those with SMI, I encourage you to tune in to this podcast episode. Join me in raising awareness and empowering those who need it most.