The new CEO of Vibrant Emotional Health will lean on lessons from the healthcare and technology industry to improve access to mental healthcare.
Cara McNulty, DPA, was named CEO of Vibrant Emotional Health in July. Dr. McNulty was most recently president of mental health and well-being at CVS Health. She previously held roles at Willis Towers Watson Health and Benefits and Target.
Based in New York City, Vibrant Emotional Health operates the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The company administers several other contact and crisis centers, including the Disaster Distress Helpline, Veterans Crisis Line and NFL Life Line.
Dr. McNulty sat down with Becker's to discuss her priorities for Vibrant Emotional Health.
Editor's note: This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Question: What are your goals and priorities for your first year at Vibrant Emotional Health?
Cara McNulty: One is to lean into the Vibrant ecosystem. That's a lot of listening and learning. Where are things growing, and thriving? What's the technology that we can advance? We're trying to provide access to high-quality mental healthcare. We're trying to reduce stigma and elevate voices that often aren't heard. We're doing that through partnerships, administration of large ecosystems and services like 988, and advancing our own programs through Vibrant Emotional Health that meet people where they're at.
My goal is also to look at our three-year strategic plan and revise, tweak, and course correct. A lot has happened and is happening in the mental health ecosystem. Let's look at where we as a company are best, and let's elevate that. Let's look at where we need to partner differently. How can we address the gaps in care throughout the country? Who do we do that with?
Finally, I will do a lot of meetings with not only our own employees, but also our partners, and potential partners, and look at how as an ecosystem, we can advance mental health and well-being for anyone in this country. It's going to take all of us. This is a really important, dynamic time and opportunity, and Vibrant Emotional Health is one player.
Q: How are the ways people engage with crisis care evolving?
CM: Crisis care, crisis lines, use of technology — it has to evolve, in order for us to truly meet people's mental, emotional and physical health. Frankly, we're behind, as an ecosystem, in mental health. We're doing great things to catch up, but that means we have to look at all the efforts we have. What's working, what isn't, and how do we make it easier? User experience anywhere along the continuum in mental health and mental healthcare is vital. We have to make it so easy for people to get care, find care. It's not enough just to find care, but find care that matches their needs, and matches who they are. It's not enough that someone just gets an appointment.
We will lean into not only learnings in the healthcare industry, but in the tech industry. We'll lean into learnings from other sectors on how to solve complex problems. Getting to where people can not only ask for help, but gain help right where they live, work and recreate, without it being such a lift. Most of us know that when you're not feeling at your best it's really hard to take on one other thing. That one other thing might be just looking for care.
Crisis lines are so important, and we're so proud of that work. We'll continue to lean into how we can help people before they're in crisis, when they're in crisis and after a crisis. That's how we meet people where they're at. I am confident we can get to a place and a world where we can openly talk about mental and emotional health, just as we talk about cardiovascular health, as we talk about preventive care. I'm also confident that we can embrace a healthcare ecosystem and provide support and services where all community members are given access to equitable care.
Q: What lessons from your background at CVS, Target and other mental health roles will you bring to Vibrant?
CM: Over and over, I have seen, learned and deployed the philosophy of "not about we without me." If we want to improve mental healthcare, and we want to improve emotional well-being, we need to partner and engage with the people who are impacted. Frankly, that is everyone. You need to have the voices of people trying to get care, who haven't been able to get care, or who have gotten care and can share what worked.