Digital Mental Health Company, ThoughtFull, Partners with FWD to Provide Science-Backed and Technology-Enabled Mental Health Solutions for Customers in Hong Kong and Thailand

SINGAPORE, Dec. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Asia's leading digital mental health company, ThoughtFull, continues to bring greater accessibility of its mental wellness solutions to corporate and consumer clients across the Asia region. Today, the firm announces that it is partnering with the FWD Group Holdings Limited ("FWD Group") to launch the Mind Strength Support programme, a first-in-the-market platform to provide individuals with a convenient and confidential way to access digital solutions to strengthen their mental health. The programme is launched in Hong Kong and Thailand, with other selected FWD markets to follow in the future. 

ThoughtFull's successive partnering with industry-leading insurance providers, such as AIA and FWD, reinforces its trailblazing position in enabling insurance coverage for mental health and underscores the insurance industry's recognition of its unique science-backed and technology-enabled mental health solutions. The numerous collaborations also highlight the increasing demand for science-based mental health solutions that can provide a more empowering experience for people to manage their mental well-being. This recent collaboration will see FWD tapping on Thoughtfull's proprietary mobile platform, ThoughtFullChat, that leverages AI-powered technology for seamless and personalised access to mental healthcare solutions. Based on the individual's needs, users can opt to find their best-fit mental health professional for video therapy, daily one-on-one, bite-sized coaching via text and audio messaging, and/or engage with dynamic science-backed content and emotional health trackers. The wide range of tools are available for use at their own pace.

"Mental health has gained greater awareness across Asia since the pandemic, but research still shows a lack of adequate mental health coverage[2].  It takes a leading insurer like FWD to integrate mental wellness solutions into their customer programmes and we are privileged to be FWD's partner to bridge the gaps that exist in the current mental health ecosystem. ThoughtFull is a tech-enabled mental health platform, and our solutions are designed to be intuitive, easy-to-use and personalised for our users' unique needs. Our revolutionary approach has allowed us to pave the way in getting insurance coverage for mental health and wellness," said Joan Low, CEO of ThoughtFull.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a 25% increase in the global prevalence of anxiety and depression in its first year alone[1]. Despite rising attention and prioritisation of mental health care globally, 81% of employees are at risk of burnout this year[2]. Further, a survey by Mercer Marsh Benefits has identified a gap between Asia insurers and their global counterparts when it comes to the provision of mental health support, where one in three do not provide mental health coverage as part of their plans[3] .  

Through this collaboration with Thoughtfull, FWD's customers will have complimentary and regular access to a mental health self-assessment questionnaire, after which they will find a set of follow-up options. These include online self-help tools, unlimited text-based coaching and virtual therapy with professionals such as counsellors and clinical psychologists. It is available to customers who have purchased the Mind Strength protection product, which provides extensive medical coverage from initial diagnosis to ongoing treatment, designed to ease customers' financial burdens and support them on their road to recovery.

Joanna Chu, Group Head of Product Proposition, FWD Group, highlighted, "At FWD, we believe a holistic approach to building mind strength is needed to help our customers in all aspects of their lives. FWD's mental health survey demonstrated that there is a growth opportunity for digital mental health solutions across Asia. We are pleased to partner with ThoughtFull as it reinforces FWD's broader commitment to making insurance more inclusive and accessible by leveraging digital health technologies."

ThoughtFullChat is ThoughtFull's proprietary mobile platform that takes an evidence-based approach to empower its users to proactively monitor and manage their mental wellness to build resilience on the go. It is also available on the Apple App Store and Google Play via its subscription version.

To learn more about ThoughtFull, please visit www.thoughtfull.world or download the ThoughtFullChat mobile app from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

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About ThoughtFull

ThoughtFull is a digital mental health company whose mission is to provide seamless and affordable access to end-to-end mental healthcare. With operations across Asia, ThoughtFull's proprietary mobile apps ThoughtFullChat and ThoughtFullChat Pro empower users to access personalised best-fit mental healthcare throughout one's mental wellbeing journey whilst enabling certified mental health professionals to scale their digital practice in an insights-based and data-driven manner. ThoughtFull partners with key ecosystem players including top insurers, healthcare providers and employers regionally to normalise and scale access to mental healthcare services.

Let's #HaveAThoughtFullChat at #athoughtfullworld.

For more information, please visit www.thoughtfull.world, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

[1] 2 March 2022, World Health Organization news release
[2] Mercer "Global Talent Trends 2022
[3] 15 March 2022, Mercer Marsh Benefits