Invent Health Virtual Event

Future of Behavioral and Mental Health

MAIN EVENT: Wednesday, May 19, 2021, 11:00 AM - 04:30 PM PST

BREAKOUT SESSIONS: June 9 & July 14, 2021, 03:00 PM - 04:30 PM PST

Invent Health #inventhealth salons are quarterly "intimate" events hosted by Vator, HP and UCSF Health Hub, where the audience (100-200) and select speakers interact around one topic. Topics have included "Mental Health", "Reinventing the doctor's role", "Future of clinics", "Lifestyle", etc and are discussed by influencers from various backgrounds to provide a 360-degree perspective. The goal is to create an environment conducive to creating connections amongst guests and to have a solid discussion and/or debate around one area of healthcare that's ripe for innovation.

The topic this quarter is: “The Future of Mental and Behavioral Health.” Behavioral health promotes wellbeing by preventing mental disorders as common as stress and anxiety, which without being addressed appropriately can lead to more serious illnesses, such as chronic conditions, substance abuse and addictions. All of this falls under our mental wellbeing. There’s a rise of mental illness across the country with one out of five Americans suffering from some sort of mental disorder. In the case of depression, it’s become almost an epidemic from being a rare condition 50 years ago. Critics argue the rise has a lot to do with pathologizing normal psychic and somatic behavior, meaning society’s idea of normal often means never feeling sad or hopeless. Some argue antidepressant drugmakers, who’ve seen their drug usage rise 400 percent in two decades are behind the pathologizing.

These pervasive conditions have behavioral health startups creating solutions and treatment modalities to help those across the spectrum from mindfulness-based therapies, cognitive behavioral and psychodynamic therapies to digital therapeutics. What are these new technologies and services and are they effective? How are employers and health organizations incorporating them?

Vator (short for innovator) is a vibrant startup and investor community, founded by veteran, award-winning business journalist, Bambi Francisco. UCSF Health Hub is a non-profit that helps healthtech companies gain access to the Bay Area ecosystem. Mark Goldstein is the Chairman. Invent Health is hosted by Dr. Archana Dubey, Global Medical Director at HP, Bambi Francisco Roizen and Mark Goldstein.