Navigating Telehealth Regulations and Mental Health Access

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#7: Jonathan Sabbagh - A Masterclass in Psychedelic Entrepreneurship

The Trip Report

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CHAPTER

Navigating Telehealth Regulations and Mental Health Access

This chapter explores the impact of the Ryan Haight Act on telehealth and controlled substance prescriptions, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights how regulatory changes improved access to critical medications and examines the future of telehealth in mental health treatment.

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Welcome back to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves, a Psychedelic Venture Studio.

Today, we’re speaking with Jonathan Sabbagh, founder of Journey Clinical, a digital health tech company pioneering a collaborative care model for psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Journey Clinical was founded in 2021 with the mission of creating a decentralized clinic model that would enable licensed therapists to incorporate ketamine-assisted therapy (KAT) into their practice.

Jonathan and his co-founder (and wife) Miriam Barthes interviewed 600 therapists before starting Journey Clinical to understand their biggest pain points and challenges.

When it came to KAT, a promising treatment for several mental health conditions, the overwhelming response from the therapists they interviewed was that it’s difficult to find medical professionals with whom they can collaborate on care. After all, therapists do not prescribe medications, and most physicians do not do therapy.

Thus, connecting therapists with partner prescribers was the core need, and with this insight, the Journey Clinical model was born.

As many who are well-steeped in the psychedelic field are aware, KAT is a promising modality for stubborn mental health conditions, especially when paired with psychotherapeutic support. However, the majority of ketamine usage for mental health is as a standalone treatment at specialized clinics. What is missing from this brick-and-mortar care delivery environment is supportive wrap-around care.

And in my opinion, this is the promise of technology-enabled support for psychedelic therapies.

I have been a fan of the Journey Clinical model since I first met Jonathan and Miriam back in 2021. From the outset, it was clear they had a unique insight and mission.

In this episode, we discuss:

* Leaving a career in finance to study clinical psychology;

* The role of psychotherapy in supporting transformational perspectives;

* The importance of therapeutic alliance;

* The origin story of Journey Clinical and the pivot from a service provider to a health tech company; and

* The Ryan Haight Act Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008.

I should also note that Beckley Waves is an investor in Journey Clinical.

Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.

Credits:

* Hosted by Zach Haigney

* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari

* Find us at thetripreport.com