Community Clinic Opens Low-Cost Teletherapy Program for Youth

The rollout comes amid mounting evidence that cost and geography remain the two largest obstacles to youth mental-health treatment. A 2024 Journal of the American Medical Association meta-analysis found that only 34 % of U.S. adolescents with major depressive episodes received any treatment in the prior year, with Black, Latino and rural youth experiencing the sharpest disparities.

Roots’ teletherapy model directly targets that gap by embedding HIPAA-compliant videoconferencing inside the same electronic health record already used at its three Oakland clinics, allowing seamless coordination between medical and behavioral teams.

Initial capacity is 150 slots per week, reserved on a first-come, first-served basis with priority given to Medicaid-enrolled or uninsured residents of Alameda County. Each client is matched to a three-person care team: a licensed clinical social worker, a supervised MSW intern and a peer navigator who texts reminders and crisis resources. Evidence-based modalities include cognitive-behavioral therapy, trauma-focused CBT and mindfulness-based stress reduction. Clients may remain in treatment for up to 16 sessions within a 12-month period, with re-authorization available for step-down or maintenance care.

Early outcomes from Roots’ six-month pilot—conducted with 64 foster-care and justice-involved youth—show a 42 % reduction in self-reported depression scores (PHQ-A) and a 38 % drop in school disciplinary referrals, data that mirror national telehealth efficacy studies. The program also tracked a 94 % attendance rate, far above the 60 % average for traditional community-based counseling cited by the California Health Care Foundation in 2023.

Market research commissioned by Roots estimates more than 38,000 East Bay adolescents meet criteria for moderate-to-severe mental illness yet receive no specialty care. By pricing sessions below the average insurance co-pay and allowing same-week enrollment, clinic administrators project the teletherapy arm will serve 1,000 new clients in its first full year, capturing roughly 3 % of the unmet need in its catchment area.

Referrals are accepted from schools, primary-care providers, faith organizations or via self-referral through a bilingual online portal. Medi-Cal and major commercial insurers are billed when applicable; any remaining balance is waived through the clinic’s student-intern subsidy fund, supported by a recent $750,000 grant from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.

Roots Community Health will host a free virtual information session for parents, educators and pediatricians on Monday, December 9, at 6 p.m. PST. Registration is open at.

Roots is a 501(c)(3) federally qualified health-center look-alike founded in 2006 to advance health equity in Oakland and South Los Angeles. The organization operates four clinical sites, two mobile health units and the Young People’s Wellness Center, delivering primary care, behavioral health, substance-use treatment and workforce development regardless of ability to pay. Roots is accredited by the Joint Commission and maintains academic affiliations with UCSF, UC Berkeley and Samuel Merritt University.