by Rachna Bagdi on January 30, 2025
In recent years, the mental health care industry has seen two major trends: an increase in mental health conditions like anxiety and depression and more open communication about those pervasive needs.
Despite these shifts, nearly 55% of U.S. adults who need mental health care still aren’t receiving it, according to a Mental Health America report. That’s more than 28 million people living day to day without treatment.
Generational, cultural, and societal stigma — combined with the likes of unwieldy workflows, inconvenient systems, and insurance difficulties — are still causing too many people to forego care. While many potential solutions exist to further educate the public and make them more comfortable with embracing mental health providers and treatment, these are longer-term and ongoing efforts. The good news is that clinics can take one crucial step now to make a big impact fast. Implementing effective mental health software can empower clients to take command of their care journeys and stay engaged in the process.
A strong electronic health record (EHR) designed specifically for mental health providers and clients can mean the difference between failing people in need and achieving clinical and financial success.
5 Client Engagement Benefits of Mental Health Software
Here are five ways an advanced EHR can boost client engagement in mental health and help get more of the American public back on its feet.
1. Enabling Participation in Clinical Decision-Making
A 2024 study found not only that “patient participation in mental health care is recognized as essential for achieving positive outcomes,” but also that collaborative relationships in which clients have active decision-making power can help bolster that participation. When clients understand how and feel equipped to make decisions for their own care journey, they’re more likely to see positive results.
An advanced EHR, like Core Solutions’ Cx360 platform, comes with integrated features that foster this participation and collaboration. A secure portal, for example, enables clients to communicate with providers across the care continuum from one central location and via the communication channel they prefer: text, chat, phone, or email.
The Cx360 mental health software also allows providers to easily upload educational videos, documents, and resources to help clients better understand their diagnosis and treatment plan. Clients can quickly access these resources and ask questions directly through the platform.
Using convenient solutions like the Cx360 platform for disseminating educational materials, one study found, can help reduce stigma, develop better healthcare experiences, and boost client engagement in mental health care participation.
2. Empowering Clients to Take Control
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), one of the most significant reasons nearly one-third of adults do not receive mental health care is they simply don’t know where to go to receive it.
Individuals seeking treatment face uncoordinated care systems, convoluted processes, and unclear instructions for activating care. Not to mention, a staggering 169 million people in the U.S. live in areas with mental health provider shortages.
Within this environment, clients need more control over their care journey to feel confident in it — and a top EHR can deliver that experience. The Cx360 platform, for example, makes starting and maintaining care easy, with in-platform scheduling features enabling clients to schedule appointments that align best with their availability.
Clients can also set up customizable alerts in the platform for upcoming appointments, treatment plan steps, or assessment results, helping them stay up to date on all aspects of their care plan. And when they need quick access to medical records, they can simply click a button to receive accurate and timely information. These mental health software features help clients feel in control of their mental health journey and empowered to actively participate in it.
3. Establishing “Anywhere, Anytime” Care Access
A recent survey conducted by CNN and the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) found that shame, stigma, and a lack of access to facilities with appointment openings were major factors in people not accessing mental health care — despite 90% of the public believing we’re currently experiencing a mental health crisis in the U.S.
But the rapid boom in telehealth is providing safer, private, and more widespread access for clients, particularly those in rural areas, in provider shortage areas, and from highly stigmatized communities. An EHR with embedded telehealth capabilities enables clients to get treatment essentially no matter where they’re located. The Cx360 platform even allows providers to send personalized session invitations to clients to strengthen the relationship and increase participation.
4. Providing Culturally Sensitive Care
Cultural norms influence the pervasive stigma around mental health care. According to one study, ethnic, religious, and sociocultural traditions often lead to varying degrees of comfort and/or shame around mental health needs. And when that stigma causes certain populations to receive disproportionately less care, the study reports, those individuals face higher rates of social isolation, reduced treatment adherence, and prolonged symptoms.
It’s critical for providers to not only work to build engagement in mental health across demographics, but also to better understand the unique health-related social needs (HRSN) of each population they serve. Core Clinician Assist: HRSN Tracking uses natural language processing technology to analyze provider notes and spot HRSN that might affect a particular client’s care plan.
By using mental health software tools like this, providers can better understand, serve, and engage clients from various populations and help break down the stigma that impacts them.
5. Uncomplicating Billing and Insurance Processes
Two other substantial reasons for people not pursuing mental health care and treatment, according to the KFF and CNN survey, are high costs and complex insurance requirements. Navigating rising healthcare fees and coverage challenges can steer clients away from the care they need.
With a strong EHR, however, clinics can simplify the billing process and empower clients with faster, more accurate billing procedures. When using the Cx360 platform, for example, clients can submit medical and personal details related to billing before they attend their first appointment. This creates transparency and helps build trust by enabling clients to see their estimated bill and insurance coverage up front. After their appointment, clients can pay their bill directly through the portal, saving them time and sustaining the clinic’s cash flow.
Mental Health Software: A Tool for Client Empowerment
Giving clients more control, flexibility, knowledge, and convenience are crucial to better engaging them in their mental health journey. But implementing these aspects manually can be taxing for any clinic.
An all-in-one mental health software solution like the Cx360 platform integrates all the features a facility needs to create a high-quality and empowering healthcare experience. With this platform, clients receive communication channels, educational resources, and easily accessible tools to manage their entire mental health journey from one central solution. Providers and staff, meanwhile, get a robust tool for advancing everything from clinical decision-making to revenue cycle management.
For more information about the power of the purpose-built Cx360 platform, contact us today.
