Workit Health, an innovative online program for overcoming addictive behaviors, has raised a $1.1 million Seed financing. The round includes additional funding which will be used to scale its model so it can be prepared to partner with healthcare providers and employers.
View the facts: In 2014, over 20 million Americans struggled with Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and more than 60 million others engaged in risky patterns of use with alcohol and/or drugs, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). More than 90% are not receiving adequate treatment, often because they lack access or have difficulty navigating existing treatment options.
The Mission: Workit Health cofounders Lisa McLaughlin and Robin McIntosh have personal experience with addiction and designed Workit to reinvent the way evidence-based treatments are delivered with effective, accessible, and affordable solutions. Workit’s mission is to bridge this gap with innovative treatment options that marry the best of evidence-based practices with user-centric design and technology. Workit intervenes and changes members’ behaviors before they result in crises.
The Product: The company’s first product is a 90-day online program that pairs one-on-one support from professionally-certified counselors with interactive, customized online content. The interactive curriculum continually adapts to each individual’s evolving needs and feedback.
Founders: “There are a lot of treatment options available for addiction, but we are still losing far too many people,” said McLaughlin, who has been in the recovery community for over 15 years. “Our goal is to lower barriers to treatment through a program that is individually tailored, protects the privacy of our users, and is accessible 24/7. The pairing of a best-in-class clinical curriculum with an experience that is welcoming and resonates with those in recovery is a combination that has never been offered before.”
Her co-founder, Robin McIntosh, brings her own experiences with recovery to Workit’s design. “When I entered recovery at 22 I was living in Southern California and it was a uniquely empowering experience,” said McIntosh. “We want Workit members to feel that sense of exuberance when they finish our program, and we’ve baked that ethos into our user experience.”
Graduating SPARK’s innovation center: “By choosing Ann Arbor over San Francisco, Workit Health was able to receive consistent support, as soon as they joined Ann Arbor SPARK’s incubator,” said Bill Mayer, Ann Arbor SPARK’s vice president, entrepreneurial services. “They tapped in to our digital marketing internship program with Eastern Michigan University and our Entrepreneur in Residence program, and have actively used the weekly, expert-driven SPARK.ed workshops. Lisa engages smart, capable people to assist her while leveraging SPARK services.”
“We are very happy to see her outgrow the SPARK Central Innovation Center and move into her new offices,” Mayer added. “Going forward, Ann Arbor SPARK will continue to support Workit Health and Lisa as the company grows in our region.”
For more information on Workit Health visit their website here.
