Schools are struggling to address the mental health crisis among their students. To provide affordable and evidence-based telehealth services, Cartwheel, a startup, has raised $20 million in Series A funding.
Cartwheel is a platform that helps schools tackle the student mental health crisis by delivering affordable, evidence-based telehealth services with no waitlist. Founded in 2022, the company provides students with immediate access to care and assists schools in developing more robust mental health programmes that catch children before they collapse.
Cartwheel works with school professionals and families to ensure that students receive the necessary help. Clinically licensed programme managers assist school administrators with student cases, parent engagement, and staff training. Multilingual care coordinators help families with scheduling, insurance, and referrals for additional services. Parents can also schedule weekly advice sessions with a licensed clinician to explore strategies to support their child, even if their child is not interested in treatment.
The platform currently serves over 50 school systems across five states, including Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Illinois, and Rhode Island, and supports thousands of students, families, and school staff.
The $20 million in Series A funding was led by Menlo Ventures, and Reach Capital and previous investors General Catalyst, BoxGroup, and Able Partners also participated in the round. With this fundraising, Cartwheel plans to expand mental health services to hundreds of thousands of new students in current service areas and school districts in new states.
Kimberly Huffer, Director of Social-Emotional Learning of Cambridge Public Schools, said in a statement about the development: “As a district, we’re committed to supporting our students’ social-emotional and mental health to set them up for success—in the classroom and in life. Cartwheel has been a game-changer for us, allowing our students and families to access evidence-based mental healthcare quickly. Cartwheel is collaborative and responsive to the needs of our students and families and empowers our social workers to have a true partner in the community.”
Educators are constantly looking for ways to help their students manage mental health issues. Cartwheel is one example of an innovative platform that can make a real difference in the lives of students. By providing affordable, evidence-based telehealth services, Cartwheel is helping schools tackle the student mental health crisis and ensuring that students receive the help they need.
