Althing’s District AIRs Pioneers the First Self Funded and Scalable Adolescent Health Service

Althing is committed to establishing a lasting, sustainable solution for addressing this generation‘s defining public health crisis and today announces the establishment of a new model capable of achieving this mission.

AUSTIN, Minn., March 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Althing’s District Assess Intervene Refer & services (AIRs) model is the first statute compliant, whole district behavioral health solution that has proven capable of tackling the youth mental health crisis. Today Althing announces a major breakthrough in scalability and sustainability of vital district health and safety services; through the development of a no-cost model.

“In 2023 alone there has been well over $2,000,000,000 in behavioral health grants and funding; well over $50 for each adolescent in the U.S..” explains Mat MK Johnson, founder and CEO of Althing, LLC. “and yet over 90% of adolescents in need have not been provided access to a qualified encounter with a Provider. The grant model is not succeeding on its own. The ramping epidemic, with its unprecedented costs in lives and resources, is not being stemmed. The suicide rate continues to climb, substance abuse continues to increase. The answer must come from a scalable, self sustaining, ubiquitous service. Althing has successfully developed that cost free model in a fully qualified service at scale.”

Adolescents don’t have agency, they struggle to find voice and don’t know how to seek the private and qualified help that they are entitled to.  The fact is, to achieve effective reach, help has to be proactively provided, private and be performed by qualified professionals external to the community.  Not incidentally, the process of engaging qualified help is a reimbursable activity, so the key is to make it scalable.  District AIRs is proactive, qualified care that meets reimbursement criteria so that students, parents and districts gain vital health and safety benefits at no cost.

“Most people with mental health needs don’t seek treatment, and when they do it’s usually after years of suffering; 11 years on average.  When a person in need finally tries to access critical help, they face incredibly long wait times and once seen, frequently are not treated in an evidence based fashion. This painful scenario. Furthermore, because mental health conditions tend to emerge in adolescence, the untreated youth represent a disproportionate impact on the disability of patients over a lifetime. Considering the facts, it’s little wonder that these conditions are among the leading causes of years lost to disability.” Ponders Paul Goering MD, Psychiatrist and Fellow at Leadership Institute of Healthcare. 

“But, does this need to be so?  What if you could eliminate wait time to care? Or, better still, find risk before formal mental illness sets in – and prevent it? To the individual and their loved ones, it can be life changing. To the employers, critical for a vibrant workforce. For insurers, a wise investment to mitigate the high cost of little/no/poor care. Althing’s District AIRs is the first, and only program shown capable of addressing the ramping national mental health epidemic at its roots. The ethical, individual and societal value can’t be overstated. Most exciting is that the energy to grow this breakthrough program is built-in, through financial benefit to the insurance companies who are enthusiastic about reimbursing for early mitigation opportunities.”

Althing AIRs fits into one hour of a student’s school schedule, is low impact and high value. An Assessment with a qualified provider, for every student in a district, effectively identifies those who have need. An immediate, private Intervention begins treatment that may include connecting the student with an available Referral for ongoing treatment. This properly developed health service brings meaningful help, reduces suffering and saves lives.

“A proactive, validated assessment, from a real behavioral health specialist is vital to identifying emergent medical need and is only the beginning of a proper health encounter,” says Dr. Asma Khan, Althing’s Medical Director. “For those found in need, an immediate and meaningful 1 on 1 intervention is not only medically prescribed but absolutely key in determining the level of need and arranging for proper ongoing care.”

Ongoing care also comes with challenges for adolescents. To address privacy, travel and monetary hurtles and to ensure no student is left without help, Althing provides its in-district MedBay. Students can schedule their private encounters with qualified providers at the district MedBay during school hours. 

“Through District AIRs we encounter students who don’t have insurance. To promote full coverage, District AIRs has established 501c3 Foundation pathways ensuring care for all those in need,” says General Manager Katja Kressmann, “And our partnership with the MN Hospital Associations brings expanded resources from qualified regional entities. It is comforting to families and the district to know that full, qualified care is provided without leaving anyone identified, but untreated.”

In 2024 Althing will continue to expand its District AIRs services beyond Minnesota, into multiple states supported by partnerships with districts, Universities, insurers and state health & education administrations. District AIRs teams are currently capable of serving several thousand students per week and we have plans to quickly increase that number as more districts learn about this high value opportunity to meet their statute required mission of healthier students and safer districts. According to Mat MK Johnson, “It is exciting to be providing a proven innovation that is making a real difference, at scale, in the lives of our youth.”

About Althing
Althing creates innovative solutions that lead to equity, access, and modernization of healthcare in rural communities. Althing’s commitment to access is highlighted in its clinic, school district and home health solutions. Whether serving diverse populations or proactively bringing health services to the community, Althing holds to its principles: equity, quality, access, and value. To learn more about Althing visit althingmodel.com and subscribe to https://www.youtube.com/@althing7525/videos

Contact Katja Kressmann at 218-461-0655
[email protected]

SOURCE Althing, LLC.