CVS Health To Add Therapists To Stores

CVS Health is adding mental health counseling to the services offered at about a dozen of its stores with HealthHUBS in Florida, Pennsylvania and Texas as a part of a pilot program that launched in January, with plans to expand to 34. This partnership is due to the pandemic causing large gaps in care including overbooked therapists. The program is targeting diverse communities where mental health isn’t readily available and is normalizing the idea of offering therapy in retail stores. How this will work to ensure privacy amid a busy retail setting is to be determined, but as Pete McDonald, a father of 3 said, “this probably will reduce stigma….pick up some milk, dog treats and talk to the therapist.” Walmart Health also recently opened 20 in-store health centers nationwide with a similar model.