Obsessive compulsive-disorder (OCD), a mental health issue that was virtually unknown to the public two decades ago, is now seen as a fairly common mental health condition that people are much more aware of. Mental health startup NOCD is committed to providing mental health support to those who are struggling with mental health associated with this condition, offering them a new approach with innovative treatments.
The Chicago-based telehealth provider recently closed a $33 million Series B funding round that will be used to establish a new behavioral health market category called “Community-Driven Therapy”. The community will serve people earlier in their treatment journey, offering them assistance and mental health services to manage their long-term behavioral health.
NOCD’s new and innovative approach to treating OCD leverages condition-specific peer communities in which consumers in need of help are identified and encouraged to begin treatment. Though conducted online, offerings are made in a highly personalized way. Through community participation NOCD learned that people will seek out treatment after hearing from others who have overcome similar, difficult challenges. The Community also provides NOCD with data that used by their clinical leadership team for the creation of evidence-based treatment services.
The mental health startup has had over 18 consecutive months of rapid growth with demonstrated, measurable, and sustainable improved outcomes. Their early success has led the startup to have the world’s largest OCD patient online community that has an underserved behavioral health population.
“The behavioral health treatment system needs a new digital front door that meets the needs of consumers with severe conditions on their terms, where they are. Telehealth is an important solution for people that do not feel comfortable seeking treatment for stigmatized issues outside of their home. NOCD offers a frictionless, effective therapy experience that addresses their unmet needs and helps them regain hope in life,” said Stephen Smith, Chief Executive Officer and founder of NOCD.
Members using the NOCD platform receive ongoing, face-to-face telehealth sessions from licensed therapists specialized in OCD treatment and talk therapy. They also have access to always-on support outside of their therapy that includes personalized peer groups and self-help tools. NOCD’s results are now seen as a more effective, affordable and convenient treatment than the current standard of care.
“NOCD, for the first time, offers an accessible and effective solution for one of the most prevalent and stigmatized behavioral health populations – people with OCD. Our unique approach has also enabled us to establish a new category in the behavioral health field called Community-Driven Therapy,” Smith adds.
The company provides over 12,000 live telehealth visits per month through the only nationwide network of exposure and response prevention (ERP) specialty-trained providers. They have seen significantly improved outcomes, showing 40% improvement in a patient’s health within as few as 90 days. NOCD has partnered with the nation’s leading health insurance companies that covers more than a third of Americans who now have access to NOCD therapy as a covered benefit.
The recently closed Series B funding round from venture capital firms, was led by F-Prime Capital with Eight Roads Ventures, Kaiser Permanente Ventures participating.
“NOCD’s unique and scalable approach meets individuals suffering from OCD where they express their distress and offers them an online community where they can anonymously share their experiences with each other, get diagnosed, and receive holistic virtual care from specialized therapists,” said Daniel van den Bergh, Director at Kaiser Permanente Ventures.
Recognizing that OCD presents a range of symptoms and challenges, NOCD is committed to helping some of the most complex OCD community members so they can receive excellent care to match their clinical needs. In line with this, the company is broadening its extensive clinical training programs to address other conditions such as Hoarding Disorder and Body-focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) as well as anxiety and depression that often are comorbid to OCD.
With other mental health solutions being planned and deployed, NOCD seeks to remove the stigma associated with the OCD, while providing enhanced mental health care. Their innovative offerings position the mental health startup to lead the Community-Driven Therapy category for the long-term.
