Mental health pharmacies

CVS Health is piloting in-store counseling. The program began connecting licensed therapists to customers in January 2021 via their CVS MinuteClinic providers. Adults 18 and over can seek assessments, referrals, and even private consultations and counseling at select CVS pharmacies.

Offering an additional access point to mental health care and counseling, the CVS MinuteClinics are covered by major health insurers and make counseling available to underserved populations at a low price point. Currently available in Texas, Pennsylvania and Florida, CVS plans to expand its in-person and telehealth counseling services to 34 total locations.

Introducing counseling services in a major pharmaceutical setting effectively closes the gap between mental and physical health care. Ashley Karpinski, Head of EAP Strategy and Innovation at Aetna and the director of behavioral health strategy and innovation for CVS Health, says that making these services available to CVS customers is “a new channel for real-time support and connection to appropriate mental health care.”

Walgreens is helping customers navigate counseling services through a new virtual platform. Announced in March 2021, the Walgreens Find Care program will coordinate virtual appointments for customers seeking therapy, streamlining what is normally a difficult series of phone calls between insurance and medical providers. Thanks to Walgreens’s partnership with Mental Health America, customers will also be able to schedule online mental health screenings with teletherapy companies BetterHelp and Sanvello.