Alan Acquires Jour & Launches Alan Mind - Mental Health Services

Alan Expands into Mental Health with Jour Acquisition

French company Alan, primarily recognized for its health insurance services – currently covering 200,000 individuals – has been progressively developing a comprehensive health-focused application and broadening its service offerings. Today marks a significant step with the announcement of their inaugural acquisition: Jour, for a sum of $20 million.

This acquisition will serve as the cornerstone for a new initiative named Alan Mind. The company intends to address a growing need in the healthcare landscape.

The Growing Mental Health Crisis in France

“Over 13 million people in France are currently experiencing mental health challenges. Among those under 35, this figure rises dramatically to 3 out of 4 individuals – essentially, a widespread issue,” stated Jean-Charles Samuelian-Werve, co-founder and CEO, during a press briefing.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic over the last 18 months has significantly exacerbated mental health concerns. Instances of depressive feelings and anxiety have approximately doubled, with 66% of the population reporting sleep disturbances.

Addressing the Root Causes

“We sought to understand the factors contributing to this situation,” Samuelian-Werve explained. “Two key areas emerged. Firstly, a consistent deficiency in preventative measures is readily apparent. Mental health has historically received insufficient attention from public health initiatives.”

“The second contributing factor is the inadequacy of existing care. Significant regional disparities exist in access to treatment. In Paris, securing an appointment with a therapist can take up to eight months, while the Rhône-Alpes region averages 67 days for appointment booking,” he further noted.

Even when access is obtained, the financial burden can be substantial, as France’s national healthcare system provides limited coverage for mental health services.

Introducing Alan Mind: A B2B Solution

Alan Mind is designed to tackle these challenges. It operates as a Business-to-Business (B2B) service, with Alan offering access to Alan Mind to its corporate clients. These clients can then extend the service as a benefit to their employees.

“Do businesses have a responsibility regarding employee mental health? We firmly believe they do. Companies are accountable for safeguarding the well-being of their workforce,” Samuelian-Werve asserted. This conviction was reinforced by the realization that pandemic-related lockdowns have blurred the boundaries between professional and personal life.

The acquisition of Jour positions Alan to leverage the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

How Alan Mind Works

Employees can utilize a dedicated application to answer questionnaires, assessing their current mental state. The app provides access to resources, enabling users to articulate their feelings and engage in self-guided exercises.

Content within the app includes videos, a personalized dashboard, and guided breathing techniques. For those seeking more intensive support, Alan Mind facilitates telehealth appointments with qualified mental health professionals.

Alan has onboarded a team of psychologists to ensure prompt appointment availability, typically within a few days.

Employee privacy is paramount; companies do not have access to individual user data. However, HR departments receive monthly, anonymized reports to identify prevalent issues and inform preventative workshop development.

Pricing and Availability

Alan Mind is currently available to a limited number of clients – BioSerenity, Brut, Joone, Opal, and Talk. The service is priced at €5 per employee per month for existing Alan customers, with a slightly higher fee for those subscribing to Alan Mind independently.

The original Jour application will continue to operate in the App Store, having already achieved 2 million downloads. Its existing user base and positioning will provide valuable insights for refining Alan Mind.