Nicholas Thomson, PhD, director of research for the Injury and Violence Prevention Program at Richmond, Va.-based VCU Health, expanded the virtual reality-based youth mental health program in the second half of 2025 through a partnership with T-Mobile.
Dr. Thomson, also a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Medicine, secured a $3 million federal grant to lead a large study on how virtual reality can prevent violence among high-risk youth. He published findings showing the Impact VR program reduced conduct problems, aggression and antisocial behavior among participants, according to a Jan. 15 news release.
“Research shows VR is a solution to the mental health crisis that students actually want. Imagine a teenager being excited to improve their mental health,” Dr. Thomson said. “That’s the potential we have here: Getting youth the necessary mental healthcare in a way that’s engaging, stigma-free and efficient. It has the power to make a real difference.”
To broaden access, Dr. Thomson’s VCU-affiliated startup, Arche XR, partnered with T-Mobile for Education to bring technology to schools and youth-serving organizations. T-Mobile will provide 5G access, infrastructure and distribution support, with the pilot phase including sponsored access to select districts and plans to expand nationally, according to the release.
Dr. Thomson’s programs are used by the Richmond Police Department and more than a dozen additional school districts and localities. Designed for offline use, the tools are deployed in low-connectivity areas or during large-scale traumatic events. The VR headsets can deliver social-emotional learning and mental health programming to up to 1,000 students annually in 20- to 30-minute sessions.
Arch XR leverages T-Mobile’s network to deliver software updates and track real-time outcome data to support program impact and funding.
Researchers across the country are utilizing VR for those experiencing a behavioral health condition to develop real-world resilience and manage stress while navigating everyday triggering environments. At another academic institution’s health system, Fairfax, Va.-based George Mason University, researchers tested how personalized recovery cues can biologically and emotionally re-regulate that craving response when delivered through VR.
VR has proven effective across a range of mental health conditions, including schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and other behavioral health conditions.
