With Hurdle, Kevin Dedner Is Building a ‘Culturally Humble’ Mental Health Platform
Kevin Dedner, CEO and Founder of Hurdle, explains why we need mental health services — like counseling and teletherapy — that are culturally competent and designed for communities of color.
The past year of racial reckoning has highlighted the vast trauma experienced by the African American community. The resulting need for mental health services has been the focus for Kevin Dedner, CEO & Founder of Hurdle, who is “pushing the system to work for everyone” with a culturally intentional platform.
By the Numbers
- The behavioral health market is set to be valued at $240B by 2026
- African Americans are 20% more likely to experience mental health issues
- 50% of African Americans prematurely terminate their treatment due to a lack of therapeutic alliance
- Hurdle has retained patients in therapy on average 2 to 3 times longer, helping them meet their long-term care plan objectives
According to the NIH, a therapeutic alliance is defined as the degree to which a patient and mental health provider are engaged in collaborative, purposeful work. They believe this requires: 1) agreement on goals of the treatment, 2) agreement on the tasks, 3) and development of a personal bond made up of reciprocal positive feelings.
Speed Bump
While some companies are attempting to capitalize on this increasing need for care in African American communities, they are not changing their treatment methods accordingly. This is proving problematic as Dedner says the current mental health care system in the US is “designed for middle-class white families’’.
- Dedner believes the mental health epidemic in African American communities has affected their broader population health, demonstrated by various detrimental public health trends.
- Some of these trends include lower life expectancies, higher infant mortality rates, and a disproportionate burden of diseases such as COVID-19.
Of Note
Dedner and his team at Hurdle have remained steadfast and “stubborn” in their mission to help people of color manage the daily pressures they experience.
- Due to their recognition of the flaws in the current system, Hurdle has been able to approach mental health with an innovative, disruptive attitude.
- Through an evidence-based technique, Hurdle teaches their therapists the skills and techniques needed to develop a sense of cultural responsiveness and cultural humility for patients with diverse backgrounds.
- Given many patients only interact with their therapists a few times a month, Hurdle has also integrated various self-care platforms to offer continuous care.
What’s Next
After recently closing their $5M seed round, Dedner and his team are incredibly optimistic about laying a strong, scalable foundation and creating a “culturally humble” mental health platform for all.
- Dedner is proud to say that their largest source of new clients has been from direct referrals — a testament to their unique treatment model.
- The Hurdle team is currently focused on their B2B model for large employers and payers.
- They are looking to partner with organizations that are ready to rethink the current system together.
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