Rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts among U.S. teens have been on the rise, according to a recent report from the Center for Disease Control. The study found that nearly one in three girls have seriously considered suicide, with 13% having attempted it. As psychologists explore the causes behind this mental health crisis, a nationwide shortage of mental health professionals poses a major challenge in finding effective solutions.

However, Jake Sussman, co-founder of the mental health network Headway, believes his new startup, Marble, can help tackle the growing problem. After gaining firsthand experience as a fifth-grade English teacher at a charter school in Brooklyn, Sussman realized the broken state of mental health care for children. Despite the best efforts of school counselors, timely help for students often proved difficult to arrange due to overwhelming caseloads.

To address the shortage of mental health professionals, Sussman turned to the idea of online group therapy for children in grades five through 12. While individual therapy is more commonly offered, studies have shown that group therapy can be equally effective. However, the administrative challenges associated with organizing and coordinating group sessions have deterred many behavioral health providers.

Marble aims to solve this logistical issue by offering online group therapy sessions. Sussman contends that this format may even be more effective than in-person treatment, as it allows for the formation of more specific and targeted therapy groups. For instance, a group specifically for 17-year-old Hispanic LGBTQ individuals dealing with anxiety can provide a focused and supportive environment that would be difficult to achieve in traditional in-person settings.

The startup has recently emerged from stealth mode and announced $5 million in seed funding from investors such as Khosla Ventures, Town Hall Ventures, IA Ventures, Daybreak Ventures, and Lorimer Ventures. Marble intends to partner with school counselors who have the authority to make referrals, working with insurance, including Medicaid, instead of charging school districts directly. This economically feasible approach allows Marble to pay therapists a competitive rate while still delivering quality care.

Marble has already begun testing its approach with a school in New York City and plans to expand its services to establish relationships with hundreds of counselors throughout New York State in the next school year. The company's partnership with counselors aims to eliminate waitlists and provide timely access to mental health support for students.

While initially launching in New York, Marble has ambitions to expand its services to other states, targeting the broader goal of addressing the mental health crisis among teens nationwide. By offering online group therapy, Marble seeks to bridge the gap in mental healthcare accessibility, providing a viable solution in the face of a shortage of mental health professionals.

As the rates of adolescent mental health struggles continue to grow, innovative approaches like Marble's online group therapy offer hope for improving the wellbeing of children and addressing the pressing issue of teenage mental health crises.