Brightline Health is a virtual behavioral and mental health service for kids and teens via coaching and therapy that earned 3 out of 5 stars overall during our independent review. Brightline begins as young as 18 months old up to 17 years of age, depending on the service needed. Brightline does not accept insurance, but will provide you with a “superbill” and has a Care Navigator team that can help answer questions related to insurance and payment. Pricing is per session with costs ranging from $60 – $190 depending on which service you select and there is also an initial evaluation to start which costs $270.
All sessions with Brightline are between 30 to 50 minutes long and the length of treatment varies on the goals and objectives discussed during the evaluation. Brightline’s coaching services and clinical care services — including behavior therapy, medication support, and speech therapy — are available nationwide, including in Alaska and Hawaii. All of their services are offered virtually.
An initial evaluation will cost $270 and then weekly sessions have the following costs:
- Coaching $60
- Behavior Therapy $180
- Speech Therapy $180 for
- Medication Support $190
Rating of Brightline’s Online Therapy
Lena Suarez-Angelino is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) that specializes in self-esteem, stress management, and life transitions. She has been practicing for six years and is based in New Jersey. Lena has been writing for Choosing Therapy since 2020 and in the fall of 2022 began reviewing online therapy and mental health apps. During her independent review, Brightline Health earned 3 out of 5 stars overall, performing best in the categories of “Geographic Location”, “Attending Live Video Sessions” and “Online Therapy Cost”. However, Brightline underperformed in the categories of “Therapist Matching or Selection” and “Extra Features & Resources” compared to its competitors.
Pros & Cons of Brightline Health
Brightline appears to offer a lot of support and ease of accessibility for kids and teens, and their families. As a company, they stand out by not only being able to offer coaching and behavior therapy but also providing speech therapy and medication support. Additionally, they have options for employers and health plans to expand access. Being only virtual can be seen as both a pro and a con to Brightline as you can see listed below.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Virtual only (flexibility to meet when it’s convenient for your family) | Virtual only (child/teen may not feel as engaged or fear privacy) |
| Everything in one place | Does not accept insurance |
| On-demand support | Out-of-pocket costs could add up |
| No long wait list | Therapy limited states vs. connect and coaching nationwide |
| Evidence-based care | Fairly new, established in 2021 |
How to Get Brightline Health
To learn more about Brightline health and its program offers visit its website.
What Is Brightline Health?
Brightline Health is a 100% virtual care provider focused on supporting kids, teens, and their families. Brightline Health provides behavioral and speech therapy, coaching, medication support, and on-demand resources. Initial assessment/intake costs $270 for a 60 – 90 minute session and weekly services range from $60-$190. All therapy sessions are 50 minutes long, with coaching and medication support sessions lasting 30 minutes. Brightline Health earned 3 out of 5 stars overall on our online therapy scoring criteria.
To sign up and access most of their on-demand resource library is totally free. Once you sign up, you are assigned a coach whom you can begin chatting with right away to better explain what type of support your family needs. You will even receive an email to inform you that you have a message from your coach so you are less likely to miss it!
At this time, Brightline appears to offer services across all 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii. From the start, parents are encouraged to begin with Brightline Connect where there are self-guided resources and interactive exercises to manage day-to-day challenges. Typically, parents will be involved in the first session with their child’s therapist and then find out the frequency of checking in after that. The younger the child is, the more parent involvement there will be. All initial assessments cost $270 and a therapist will be assigned after your initial appointment. Brightline also offers a Member Support team that can help you switch therapists if you do not feel the first therapist is a good fit. All of these features earned Brightline 4 stars in the “Online Therapy for Kids & Teens Scoring Features” category on our scoring criteria.
The program duration of therapy, both speech and behavioral, is dependent on the level of need and severity of symptoms. Therapy is individualized and best discussed with your child’s therapist in the first couple of sessions. Behavioral/mental health therapy and medication support are provided to children ages 6-17, and speech is available to children as young as 18 months up to 11 years of age. Brightline Coaching programs are tailored to specific topics relevant to the age of the child, therefore for younger children aged 3-5, the coaching is more directed toward parents and caregivers.
Who Is Brightline Health Right For?
Brightline Health is great for a one-stop shop for therapy, medication, and coaching. So often, families may be able to find support via traditional talk therapy but have difficulty finding a medication provider. Having an on-demand library of resources and accountability for completing assignments between sessions can help you make progress.
Busy Parents With Multiple Children
Being that Brightline Health offers so many different services, including speech therapy and medication management, it feels like a no-brainer for the busy parent that has multiple children who need support. Someone could schedule appointments for their youngest who needs speech, their middle schooler that is experiencing low self-esteem and anxiety, and their high schooler that needs a coach to help them think about their future. The on-demand resource library is another great tool for busy parents to learn more about certain mental health topics.
Interdisciplinary Support
Brightline allows access to multiple disciplines in order to gain better insight into the day-to-day stressors without having to constantly go through the heading of finding a new place each time. When you sign up you are automatically assigned a coach, and from there you are able to request to meet with a therapist and psychiatric nurse practitioner. Brightline really emphasizes the importance of working collaboratively with other members of the care team in the best interest of your child.
Unsure if Therapy Will Help
Brightline makes it easy and accessible to see if therapy is the best solution for you and your child. Being able to meet initially with a coach and then meeting with a therapist can help you determine which is the best option for your child. There are some key differences between coaching and therapy, and being able to have both available in one place is rather ideal.
Who Might Want an Alternative to Brightline Health?
It can be overwhelming knowing that there are plenty of online therapy options to choose from such as Talkspace for therapy and medication management. Another alternative to Brightline that families may want to consider is Manatee Health for courses, therapy, and individualized support. Brightline would not be the best fit for older teens that are getting ready to turn 18, in high-risk crisis situations, or those seeking medication support in Iowa or New Hampshire.
Young Adults
Brightline offers their behavioral health/therapy services to 6-17 years old. If you are just shy of turning 18, you may want to consider beginning your mental health journey with companies that are geared towards young adults instead, like with Joon Care. If your teen plans on attending college, most campuses offer free or low-cost therapy and counseling onsite. This may be a better alternative and a great way to build support in their next chapter.
High-Risk Crisis Situations
It is common that most online services, and even private practices, aren’t intended to be used as 24/7 crisis hotlines or high-risk support. If you, your child, or someone you know is in crisis, call 911, go to the nearest emergency room, or reach out to the following national resources. You’re never alone.
Living in Iowa or New Hampshire & Needing Medication Support
While therapy and coaching services are offered nationwide via Brightline, at the time of writing, Brightline does not provide medication support to residents of Iowa or New Hampshire due to licensing limitations. If you believe your child may be in need of medication support and currently reside in Iowa or New Hampshire, it may be better to seek support from someone licensed in your state.
Brightline Health User Reviews
While Brightline is still very much in its start-up phase, there have been some mixed reviews online. Their Google listing has no reviews and is not current in terms of being able to schedule an appointment. Their Facebook page only has one review, and it was discussing poor information in regard to their child’s therapist no longer working for Brightline. An inside source also shared that their hiring process felt somewhat messy and resulted in Brightline requesting to reschedule their interview multiple times.
How Much Does Brightline Health Cost?
To sign up and access Brightline’s on-demand resources it is free. Each child starts with a 60 – 90 minute initial evaluation of $270 then moves to weekly sessions that range from $60-$190. While therapy and medication support tend to be more ongoing, Brightline estimates coaching typically lasts 4 – 6 sessions/weeks, and therapy can last between 8 – 16 sessions/weeks. All of Brightline’s costs and fees are easily accessible and there are no hidden fees, which earned Brightline 5 stars in the “Online Therapy Cost” category on our scoring criteria.
Coaching Costs
After the initial assessment, weekly coaching sessions cost $60 per session for 30 minutes and offer 1:1 video visits with an expert behavioral coach focusing on skill-building for everyday challenges. Brightline Coaching has program modules tailored to help families tackle anxiety, stress, sleep, disorganization, etc.
Behavior Therapy Costs
After the initial assessment, weekly therapy sessions are $180 for 50 minutes and offer personalized care for common conditions including anxiety, depression, and ADHD. Your child will receive therapy in 1:1 video visits with a licensed therapist or licensed psychologist. While medication support is not required, it may be something that is recommended in the future.
Medication Support Costs
Medication support is only available to those that are also engaged in Brightline therapy for better outcomes. The cost of medication support sessions is $190 for a 30-minute session and are conducted with a medical provider. Medication follow-up appointments are scheduled based on need and the medication prescribed but are typically monthly or at 3-month intervals.
Speech Therapy Costs
A 90-minute initial evaluation is conducted by a speech language pathologist (SLP) and then weekly, 50-minute speech therapy sessions cost $180.
Does Brightline Health Accept Insurance?
Brightline does not accept insurance, however, they offer plans for employers, consultants, and various health plans to help increase accessibility. In addition, Brightline provides families with a Care Navigator team that helps with navigating their insurance and submitting a claim for reimbursement. Since Brightline offers plans to employers and partners with selected health plans, they earned 4 stars in the “Insurance & Out-of-Network Benefits” category on our scoring criteria.
Out-of-Network Benefits
Brightline states they will provide families with a superbill and have a Care Navigator team that is ready to assist. Brightline has also partnered with Reimbursify to follow up with your insurance and file claims electronically.
How Does Brightline Health Work?
Sign up for Brightline to get connected to a coach and access their on-demand library of resources. Upon sign-up you are asked if there are any special considerations, such as autism, gender identity, racial and ethnic identity, or sexual identity. Depending on the age of your child, you will be given an assessment to complete via Care Matching.
Here are the steps from sign-up to meeting with your therapist:
- Sign up here
- Check messages in your dashboard
- Find care – where you choose the child you want to focus on
- Complete an assessment (~21 question-survey)
- Choose the type of support/service
- Attend your first 1:1 live coaching session (~30 minutes) where you can express your desire to meet with a therapist
Brightline Health Therapy: Detailed Review
Brightline Health Therapy provides behavioral health therapy with a licensed therapist or psychologist. Brightline therapy provides an assessment and diagnosis, and treats more severe conditions. Brightline Mental Health utilizes therapy to help kids, teens, and their families dive deeper into the past and support answering the bigger “why” questions for the presenting concerns. Each of their services begins with a 60-minute initial evaluation ($270). Then, weekly 50-minute behavioral therapy sessions cost $180.
Behavior Therapy with Brightline Health
Behavioral therapists work with children as young as six years old — for children younger than six, Brightline recommends that you work with a Brightline behavioral coach to work on parental management strategies. It appears that all initial contact and connection via Brightline is done through a coach. Once you meet with a coach, you are able to request to get connected with a therapist instead. Brightline states, “Your child won’t be in coaching and therapy at the same time. If your child needs therapy at any point, your coach can help your family transition their care to a Brightline therapist.” It is unclear what the turnaround time is to connect with a therapist via Brightline. Depending on the level of care needed, your child will most likely be recommended for weekly sessions.
Similar to traditional therapy, parental involvement is more frequent in the initial stages of building trust and rapport with your child. The younger the child, the more involved a parent will have to be. The care team is available for both parents/caregivers and the child to contact via chat.
Therapist Vetting and Credentials
Therapists are independently licensed therapists and psychologists. Brightline hires therapists that have expertise in delivering child and teen-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) specializing in treating the following disorders:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- ADHD
- Disruptive behavior disorders
Aside from CBT, Brightline also encourages its therapists to support innovation and growth to continue to improve and grow the user experience of Brightline.
Therapist Matching/Self Select
Therapist matching is done via the Care Matching assessment and based on the areas of support you selected earlier. You can speak more directly 1:1 with your care team if you feel that you have not been able to express yourself fully. Additionally, you will be provided with a bio to read about your coach or therapist. While you can speak to the care team about your match, this is ultimately an automatic matching process that earned Brightline 1 star in the “Therapist Matching or Selection” category on our scoring criteria.
Can You Choose a New Therapist?
While you cannot change therapists with the click of a button, simply chat with your coach or Member Support about making the request to get matched again. This may feel intimidating for some, but the general goal of any mental health service provider is that you find the care that is the right fit for you.
Brightline Health Medication Support: Detailed Review
As stated previously, an initial 60-minute assessment through Brightline costs $270 and then sessions for medication support cost $190 for 30-minute sessions. It is in your child’s best interest that they are seen not only by the medication provider but also by a therapist via Brightline. In my experience, this is best practice so that your family is not only getting support via medication but also learning practice tools and strategies to manage day-to-day stressors.
Medication providers are Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners (PMHNP-BC) that can provide diagnostic evaluations and ongoing medication management services to children and teens. Additionally, Brightline looks to employ PMHNPs that are family-centered, with a warm and engaging clinical style. This is critical in finding quality care, especially for children and teens. The type of medication that is prescribed varies depending on the symptoms experienced. As far as needing any additional lab work prior, it is best to have a conversation with the PMHNP to obtain a lab work request. You are able to connect with the medication provider the same way you would connect with your child’s therapist via chat, or at the beginning or end of a session. Keep in mind that their availability may be limited in comparison to that of the behavioral therapist or behavioral coach.
Who Is Eligible for Medication?
Medication support begins for children as young as six years old after meeting with a therapist via Brightline. Any child over six is eligible to help manage symptoms of anxiety, depression, ADHD, and more. You will be able to discuss with your Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner as well as the rest of your care team to see if medication is the best option for your child. At the time of writing, those in Iowa and New Hampshire are currently not able to seek Medication Support.
What Medications Are Available?
There are a lot of different types of anxiety medication and depression medication and finding the one that works best for you could take some time. To learn more about the types of medications available, request to meet with a therapist and PMHNP-BC to learn more. Depending on the different state regulations, the ability to prescribe controlled substances may vary.
Where Is Medication Management Available?
Brightline does not provide medication support to residents of Iowa or New Hampshire due to licensing limitations. Other states may have more availability than others and Brightline is actively looking to hire more remote Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners to add to their care team.
Medication Shipping Costs
Medication prescriptions are called into your pharmacy. There are no direct shipping costs or subscription fees via Brightline, however, your local pharmacy may offer delivery services.
Brightline Speech Therapy: Detailed Review
The initial assessment/intake costs $270 and is conducted via a Speech-Language Pathologist for approximately 90 minutes. Regular appointments are then scheduled weekly for approximately 50 minutes and the length of treatment varies on the progress toward goals as well as the level of support that is needed. The younger your child is, the more parent involvement there will be.
See the following recommendations from Brightline FAQ about parent involvement:
- For kids between the ages of 18 months-3 years old: Parents will be needed for the entire session
- For kids ages 4-5 years old: High parent involvement. The extent of involvement will be discussed at the end of the initial evaluation.
- For kids ages 6 and above: There will be parental involvement but mainly at the beginning or end of the session, or to check in throughout the session (sometimes just needed in the same room). The extent of involvement will be discussed at the end of the initial evaluation.
You can request an evaluation for Speech through your dashboard or chat directly with your coach that is assigned to your family when you sign-up.
Brightline Health vs Teen Counseling
Comparing Brightline Health versus Teen Counseling, there are some similarities and differences to take into consideration. Brightline Health and Teen Counseling both offer support from licensed mental health professionals and do so in the form of live 1:1 video sessions. They differ in the ability to provide on-demand resources, coaching, and medication support all within the same platform.
To learn more about their subscription options, you can read our in-depth review of Teen Counseling.
How Brightline Health Has Evolved
Naomi Allen, co-founder, and CEO of Brightline identified the barrier to mental health services for children and their families. Brightline describes itself as a family-centered, pediatric-focused behavioral health solution. Brightline identifies that children are not just small adults, and they need a platform that is designed specifically for them to gain access to care. The idea that Brightline is your one-stop shop for in-house services really helps bring ease and reliability to families. Their secure web-based platform allows exercises and the ability to track progress in between sessions.
Brightline continues to grow, as stated on their About Us, “As the need for flexible care grows, Brightline will continue to leverage virtual care to support more and more families across the country. Everything Brightline does is to move families forward to reach their bright future.”
Brightline, formerly Emilio Health, has recently received another round of funding totaling $219 million according to Crunchbase and recently closed $10 Million Extended Series C Financing from Northwell Health.1,2 At this time, there are sixteen investors and Brightline continues to make headlines in its ability to provide virtual behavioral-health services to children and their families. Brightline is still a newer online therapy provider and earned 2 stars in the “Reliability & Longevity” category on our scoring criteria with room to improve this score.
Frequently Asked Questions About Brightline Health
Can I use my HSA or FSA?
The ease and flexibility to use an hsa for mental health is dependent on your insurance provider. There may be times in which HSA or FSA are approved for medical products and/or services, such as Brightline, and other times where the insurance company may deny the charge. In general, Brightline Health should be able to accept HSA or FSA as a valid form of payment as long as there is enough money in the account. Keep all receipts for your records to submit to insurance.
Can I Cancel My Brightline Health Account?
From what I can see, there is no membership subscription, therefore you can choose to ignore your account entirely. If you do wish to cancel/delete your Brightline Health account I would recommend that you contact Member Support via chat, phone, or email. Brightline phone: (888) 224-7332 and email: [email protected]. Additionally, Brightline states in their Terms of Service “You may terminate your use of the Services at any time by not using the Services anymore.”
Does Brightline Health Offer Refunds?
It appears that services are only paid prior to having the session, versus a monthly payment. While requesting for a refund may be somewhat challenging, you can contact Brightline directly via phone: (888) 224-7332 or email: [email protected] to share your concerns.
Is Brightline Health HIPAA Compliant?
Brightline Health follows HIPAA compliance and speaks more about how they do so via their Privacy Policy, Privacy Practices, and Terms of Service. Read these carefully as there are certain limitations for disclosure, confidentiality, and coordination of care.
Final Verdict on Brightline Health
Brightline has incredible branding and online presence. With any company that grows rather quickly, it can be common to have some technical and logistical bumps that need to be ironed out. Have patience with Brightline, as their potential and ability to provide wrap-around services to families virtually is crucial, especially as the need for mental health services for children continues to rise. Brightline is definitely a platform that is worth trying even though it only scored 3 stars overall during our independent review.
| Cost of Online Therapy | $270 assessment / $180 weekly therapy |
| Is Insurance Accepted? | No, but superbill is provided |
| Frequency of Appointments | Weekly 1:1 sessions recommended |
| Messaging with Therapist Between Appointments | No, chat is strictly with a coach Therapy contact in between sessions is done via email or through your coach |
| Provider Choices | You can chat or email Member Support and request a change |
| Can You Change Therapists? | Yes, contact Member Support |
| Speed to First Appointment | Instant on-demand access |
| Geographic Coverage | US, including Alaska and Hawaii |
| Age Limitations | 18 months-11 years old for speech therapy 6-17 years old for behavioral therapy and medication support |
| Online Psychiatry Offered | Yes |
