Healing A Broken Mental Health System: Cindy Jordan Of Pyx Health On 5 Things That Can Be Done To Fix Our Broken Mental Health System
An Interview With Stephanie Greer
Leverage Technology and non-provider telehealth. While technology can’t replace human connection, and licensed professionals can’t replace doctors, it is a great supplement to in-person care, especially amid physician shortages. In-person care can’t be available 24/7, and technology can help provide resources and support in the moment. Professionals like peer mentors can help those who may not be able to visit their provider as often as they’d like to or can’t have regular therapy appointments due to the provider shortage.
The current state of the mental health system is a conversation that echoes in the halls of policy-making, the corners of social advocacy, and within the private struggles of individuals and families. As we continue to witness an unprecedented need for robust mental health support, the shortcomings of the existing system become more glaring. It is within this backdrop that we seek the insight of those who are at the forefront of behavioral health. In this interview series, we are talking to behavioral health leaders, policymakers, mental health practitioners, advocates, and reformers to share their perspectives on healing our broken mental health system. As a part of this interview series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Cindy Jordan, CEO and Co-Founder of Pyx Health.
After witnessing a family member’s mental health crisis, Cindy Jordan and her co-founder Anne Jordan launched Pyx Health in 2017. Pyx Health is the first solution focused on effectively addressing the health crises of loneliness and social isolation through both technology and compassionate human interaction.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your background and your childhood backstory?
I grew up on the East Coast with a very blue-collar upbringing. My dad spent his life in the restaurant business and my mom stayed home with my brother, sister, and me. I’m the oldest of the kids. We’re all very close. They all live near me in Tucson now, which I love.
I was always an athlete and went to George Mason on a softball scholarship. Right out of college, I took a job as a police officer in the suburbs of Washington D.C. While working in law enforcement was rewarding and I learned a lot, it was ultimately not my passion. I knew that I wanted to dedicate my career to helping people and enact real change. I worked for a time in political fundraising. And after that, I was a strategist at a marketing company, which is where I met Anne and we started our first healthcare technology company. We successfully exited after just a few years, and in 2017 we launched Pyx Health, spurred by our daughter’s struggle with chronic loneliness and bipolar disorder.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
There’s a great quote from Curtis Tyrone Jones that I’ve always felt particularly connected to. It describes how being “different” should be viewed as a strength, not a weakness:
“Here’s to the misfits and foolish ones who think differently. They’re not fond of simplicity. They live unconventionally existing at a different level of intensity. They add elasticity and flexibility to what’s inflexibly rigid, bringing warmth to the frigid systems of existence. You can hate them acidicly, discredit their credibility, or even oppose them ritualistically. Look down on them cynically, say they became great accidentally, rain on them torrentially, or see brilliance academically. You can look and see density or see a lovely symphony. About the only thing you can’t do is disqualify their eligibility. Because they change history. Everything in existence moves them restlessly on to destiny backed by infinity. Their spirit is immensity, they overcome resiliently and follow their hearts existentially. Though they may be misunderstood until the next century, we see their opponents’ adrenaline as only minimally convincing, simply for a time because in them there’s a tendency for the divine to visit Earth coincidentally. And while others may see misfits and foolishness we see wisdom and genius because the ones crazy enough to think they can live and love limitlessly are the ones who actually do.”
Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. It is often said that “the mental health system in America is broken”. What does that statement mean to you? From your perspective what is “broken” today?
The healthcare system has not evolved for many years around reimbursement and “whole person” care. It wasn’t until recently that the healthcare system started aligning outcomes, combining behavioral and physical health, and recognizing social health as a significant contributor to health outcomes.
Case in point, just this year the Surgeon General declared loneliness an “epidemic”, with physical impacts that can be as deadly as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. The WHO similarly made loneliness a global health priority this November, announcing a new Commission on Social Connection. While this recognition is an important step in the right direction, what’s “broken” about our mental health system is that loneliness is still an incredibly misunderstood condition, and current initiatives are not going far enough to address this urgent crisis.
Beyond just “feeling alone”, loneliness has huge ripple effects throughout our healthcare system. Lonely people are more likely to suffer from other mental health conditions, ranging from depression and anxiety to suicidal ideation. Loneliness can be detrimental to our physical health — contributing to issues ranging from cardiovascular issues and immune health problems to dementia and more. In short, loneliness is not a solitary issue, it creates a huge burden on our healthcare system more broadly.
What about any bright spots? Do you think there are any elements that we get right in today’s world that we wouldn’t want to reverse unintentionally?
I feel encouraged that social health and behavioral health are finally getting the recognition and attention they deserve on the national and international stage. Loneliness, for example, is not a new issue and has flown “under the radar” for a long time. Even if the current solutions aren’t perfect, public health officials are making big strides merely by recognizing how pervasive the issue is, and, most importantly, allowing reimbursement associated with interventions directly impacting whole-person care.
In your opinion, what are the 5 most impactful things that could help heal the broken mental health system? These could be on any level including training, workforce, policy, culture, equity, etc.
1 . Improve awareness and understanding of Social Health. We cannot address physical health issues in a vacuum — good health MUST be viewed holistically. While our society tends to focus on improving physical well-being (e.g. getting exercise, eating well), we tend to deprioritize an equally important aspect of well-being: social health. Socially healthy people have a strong sense of community, belonging, and connection to others. They have their basic needs around food, housing, access to care, and medicine being met and addressed. Research has shown that positive, satisfying relationships are one of the best predictors of overall health, whereas feeling lonely can lead to serious physical and mental health concerns, including depression, anxiety, and even suicidal ideation.
2. Call loneliness what it is: a mental health condition. To improve social health and overall well-being, community leaders, healthcare providers, and health plans should be aware of what chronic loneliness looks like and how to identify it. While occasional loneliness is a normal human emotion, the bigger problem is chronic loneliness, which affects our day-to-day life. Chronic loneliness has little to do with being physically isolated — it’s about feeling like you “don’t belong”, no matter how many people are physically around you. That’s why current solutions — like telling lonely people to “call a friend” or grab lunch with a co-worker — aren’t going to cut it. Loneliness is a serious mental health condition that should be treated as such, similar to the ways we treat conditions like anxiety and depression.
3 . Establish an ICD Billing Code for Loneliness. International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes are the codes that doctors use to submit conditions and ailments to insurance. Loneliness is not currently designated as a mental disorder by the ICD, and there is no code for loneliness. That’s pretty shocking: there are billing codes for obscure incidents like: “struck by a duck”, “bitten by a pig”, and “problems with in-laws” — but none for this profound public health threat. Establishing an ICD-10 code would provide for easier patient reimbursement, and set the precedent for providers, insurers, and health plan providers to take the condition seriously.
4. Address social determinants of health (SDOH) needs. Combatting loneliness will take more than just bringing people together in the same room or making it easier to call a loved one. Many of the lonely people we treat at Pyx Health also have “social determinants of health” (SDOH) needs, ranging from not being able to put food on the table to living in abusive households and so much more. Health plans can take the step of helping people meet these needs by connecting members with a variety of resources, such as assisting food insecure members with food banks and meal delivery programs or helping members by promoting exercise.
5. Leverage Technology and non-provider telehealth. While technology can’t replace human connection, and licensed professionals can’t replace doctors, it is a great supplement to in-person care, especially amid physician shortages. In-person care can’t be available 24/7, and technology can help provide resources and support in the moment. Professionals like peer mentors can help those who may not be able to visit their provider as often as they’d like to or can’t have regular therapy appointments due to the provider shortage.
If all of the items on your list were magically implemented tomorrow what change might we see in the world? What are the signs (big and small) that would show us that the system is being healed?
Combatting the social health crisis can undoubtedly improve the physical health and mental well-being of millions of Americans. But there are myriad other benefits you may not think of — for example when people feel less lonely, they’re also more likely to take charge of their overall health. This can translate to seeing their providers regularly, taking their medication, and staying on top of preventative care, which will improve an individual’s overall well-being and reduce healthcare costs. We can also see benefits on a community level, including increased community ties, a greatly reduced burden on the healthcare system, and much more.
What is a project you or others are working on today that gives you hope? How can our readers learn more about this work?
We are energized by the work we do to combat the loneliness crisis at Pyx Health. Our non-clinical, holistic solution identifies vulnerable people and offers them resources, support, and companionship by combining an engaging app experience with our compassionate peer-certified staff. In particular, we were proud to learn that THRIVE Pathway, our groundbreaking program specifically designed to address chronic loneliness, ranked among Fast Company’s “Top World Changing Ideas” in healthcare. People can find more about loneliness and our solutions on our website, PyxHealth.com.
How do you see technology shaping the future of mental health care and its accessibility?
Technology is a huge conversation among people in the social and mental health space, and for good reason. Those who need urgent support don’t always have resources available 24/7. Interventions like therapy can also be incredibly expensive, and patients may not be able to see their therapists as often as they’d like to. For this reason, tech interventions — ranging from chatbots to virtual pets — can help fill those gaps by acting as a virtual companion and a bridge to vital in-person support. That said, by nature, loneliness is about a lack of human connection, and we believe that combining human support and tech is the best way to address it.
For this reason, at Pyx Health, technology is not a substitute but rather a complement to real human support. Our highly trained and certified support center staff, called ANDYs (“Authentic, Nurturing, Dependable, Your Friend), provide compassionate support in addition to our online chatbot, Pyxir. We also use machine learning on the back end to help us quickly and efficiently understand our participants’ needs, and customize solutions for each individual member.
In your view, how do social factors like poverty, education, and culture affect mental health care and its effectiveness?
The 5 SDOH categories as defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) include economic stability, education access, healthcare access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, and social and community context. Experts agree that these social barriers influence as much as 80 percent of health outcomes and drive health disparities.
Indeed, many of the lonely people we treat at Pyx Health have SDOH needs, and addressing those needs is often a necessary first step to helping people feel better. We believe that there needs to be an increased focus from health plans and providers to identify SDOH needs and offer appropriate resources to address them.
In light of the growing mental health crisis among young people, what innovative approaches or interventions have proven most successful for children and adolescents?
In a world of abundant technology and social media, we might assume that youth feel most connected. The reality is that loneliness is most prevalent among youth and young adults due to factors such as changes in family structure, social isolation, low self-esteem, and more. In the last couple of years, we’ve had the privilege of working with adolescents via the launch of our youth-focused platform. In developing it there were concerns that teens would not be open to engaging with the platform, and in particular, speak with our trained staff on the phone. The opposite has been true and the fact is, these kids have been willing to reach out to our people because they are relatable and trustworthy and willing to meet them where they’re at. In some cases, they’ve had more engagement than our adult Medicaid members, and we’ve seen great results for them with reductions in loneliness and depression.
While we know that it can help when young people put down their devices and find ways to engage in their community in person — volunteering, joining group activities, etc — as with any chronically lonely person they need help to break out of that cycle of isolation. That means some kind of consistent program that supports and encourages them to break that pattern. Of course, anyone who’s experiencing mental distress or having feelings of self-harm should also seek professional help from a healthcare provider.
Are there any books, podcasts, or other resources that you’d recommend?
I’m always diving into books, articles, and podcasts that help fuel my constant hunger for learning in my professional life. But as much as I appreciate a good motivational business book, I also love reading for enjoyment. It’s easy to lose track of those simple pleasures when you’re in the thick of your business life.
I find that for my own mental health and self-care, unwinding with some great fiction is priceless. Right now I’m reading “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir. It’s a fantastic blend of science and fantasy which is nice to get lost in, but ultimately, it’s a story about optimism, determination, resourcefulness, and survival — so there’s a fair amount of inspiration there for my real life too.
We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them. 🙂
This may surprise you, but I have to say Taylor Swift. It’s not just because I love her music and think she’s an incredible live performer: what she’s achieved by skillfully and intelligently building her own career is nothing short of awe-inspiring.
Taylor has also been vocal about rejecting negativity and toxic stereotypes, and, as someone deeply concerned about supporting youth mental health, I value her influence in raising awareness. Listening to her music, I have a feeling that loneliness is something she can identify with, and it’s so powerful to be able to say to someone who’s suffering, “I understand. I see you.” I’d love to have lunch with her just to thank her for using her platform to spread positivity. I’ll even cover the bill.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Check out PyxHealth.com and follow us on social media. Those interested in my personal journey can find me on LinkedIn.
Thank you for your time and thoughtful answers. I know many people will gain so much from hearing this.
About The Interviewer: Stephanie Greer, PhD is the Co-founder and CEO of Akin Mental Health — a company dedicated to guiding families on their journey supporting a loved one with mental health challenges like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and severe depression. Stephanie is passionate about this topic from her own personal experience growing up with a mother who struggled with bipolar 1 disorder and found a path forward to overcome the obstacles and live well. Stephanie’s professional experience includes a doctorate in neuroscience as well as design research roles at Hopelab and Apple. Stephanie brings this personal passion together with her world-class science and technology background to support families across the US in their personal journeys supporting loved ones with mental illness. To learn more about Akin Mental Health and join our community, visit us at akinmh.com.
Healing A Broken Mental Health System: Cindy Jordan Of Pyx Health On 5 Things That Can Be Done To… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.