Best Patient Engagement Platform for Behavioral Health Providers

Behavioral health care doesn’t end when a patient walks out of the clinic. Progress depends on steady contact, reliable follow-up, and open communication between visits. Without that connection, even small lapses can derail treatment.

Patient engagement platforms help close those gaps by keeping communication clear and accessible. They have features necessary to give patients and clinicians a place to stay connected, manage care, and reduce the small breaks in communication that can turn into setbacks.

This blog looks at the options that stand out as the best patient engagement platform choices in behavioral health today.

The Importance of Tailored Engagement in Behavioral Health

Your behavioral health patients face challenges that simply don’t exist in other medical fields. Most of them worry about their friends and family discovering their mental health treatments. They’ll probably avoid any communication that can expose them, like receiving reminders that mention “counseling” or “therapy”. Hence, privacy concerns here go beyond just HIPAA compliance.

Generic healthcare platforms treat a therapy session the same as a routine physical exam. Your behavioral health patients require continuous care between appointments. They may need to text you about sudden mood shifts or reschedule because they’re experiencing a panic attack.

Hence, engagement platforms tailored to behavioral health are fairly different. They have built-in features for discrete messaging, mood tracking, and various communication options that respect the sensitive nature of mental health treatment.

Best Patient Engagement Platforms for Behavioral Health

You need to carefully consider your needs when choosing a patient engagement platform for behavioral health. The ones below were selected after reviewing their features, HIPAA compliance, ease of use, and real feedback from providers who use them daily.

1. Televox

Best For	Key Features	Pricing
Large health systems, hospitals, and behavioral health practices of all sizes.	SMART Agent, two-way SMS communication, automated appointment reminders, self-service scheduling, Digital Care Programs with tailored plans and reminders	Contact for a quote

TeleVox offers an AI-powered patient relationship management platform. Their SMART Agent is always available to text back and forth with patients in real time, handling everyday needs like rescheduling therapy sessions or answering treatment questions.

This inbound AI capability is exceptional because it ensures patients always get timely answers, while still offering a seamless handoff to a live agent through AgentChat/Visit Chat whenever needed.

What makes TeleVox especially valuable for behavioral health is the balance between automation and human touch. If a patient sends a message that appears urgent or sensitive, the system knows when to alert a staff member immediately.

And because the platform connects directly with major EHR systems, patients don’t have to jump through hoops to stay on top of their care. They can confirm appointments, handle reminders, or request prescription refills through a secure, two-way messaging channel.

2. DoctorConnect

Best For	Key Features	Pricing
Solo practitioners and small group practices	Automated appointment reminders, secure messaging, no-show tracking, crisis escalation protocols, therapy session reminders	Contact for a quote

DoctorConnect stands out for its crisis management features. If a patient sends concerning messages through the portal, their system can flag urgent communications for immediate provider attention. Many solo therapists find this peace of mind invaluable.

Additionally, the platform lets patients respond to appointment confirmations, reschedule when needed, and sends automatic follow-ups for missed sessions.

3. Chorus

Best For	Key Features	Pricing
Community mental health centers and large health systems	Community resource mapping, cross-system data sharing, custom workflow builder, population health tracking	Contact for a quote

Chorus focuses more on connecting patients to community resources instead of just individual patient communication. So, someone struggling with housing might get connected to local support services, while someone dealing with substance use gets linked to peer support groups.

Their platform works across different EHR systems to coordinate with multiple providers. This patient engagement platform for behavioral health excels at connecting the dots between clinical care and social services.

4. Sigmund Software

Best For	Key Features	Pricing
Both small practices and large organizations	Integrated patient portal, outcome measurement tools, automated intake forms, secure messaging, appointment self-scheduling	Pricing based on per-user licensing

Sigmund develops industry-leading EHR software for the behavioral health and addiction treatment communities. Their AURA platform offers comprehensive patient engagement with specialized features spanning business development, intake, compliance, and patient engagement. The software offers features like secure messaging, automated reminders, and tools for intake assessment and outcome measurement.

5. Valant

Best For	Key Features	Pricing
Medium to large behavioral health practices	Treatment plan sharing, medication reminders, progress tracking, family portal access, insurance verification	Contact for a quote

Valant is easily one of the best options on this list. Its patient engagement tools connect directly to their clinical documentation system, so patients can view their treatment plans, track progress toward goals, and receive medication reminders. The family portal feature lets parents or caregivers stay involved in treatment when appropriate.

Insurance verification happens automatically in the background, so patients get alerts if coverage changes or prior authorization expires. This patient engagement platform for behavioral health reduces administrative headaches for both patients and staff.

6. CaredFor

Best For	Key Features	Pricing
Clinics focused on intensive outpatient programs and family therapy	Care team coordination, family communication tools, crisis planning, medication adherence tracking	Contact for a quote

CaredFor is exceptional when it comes to coordinating care between multiple team members. When a patient works with a therapist, psychiatrist, and case manager, everyone stays connected through shared communication threads. So families can participate in care planning and receive updates on treatment progress.

Their crisis planning feature lets patients and providers create safety plans together that are easily accessible through a mobile app. This patient engagement software for behavioral health works particularly well for practices treating adolescents or adults with complex needs.

7. eClinincalWorks

Best For	Key Features	Pricing
Large practices and health systems with multiple specialties	Telehealth integration, mobile app access, prescription refill requests, lab result sharing, appointment scheduling	Starting around $449/month per provider

eClinicalWorks offers a comprehensive patient engagement software solution with robust behavioral health capabilities.

When a patient messages their therapist through the portal, that conversation is right next to their clinical records. Similarly, another patient who wants a telehealth session can use the same app to join as well as check their treatment plan.

Hence, there’s less clicking around between different systems and fewer chances for important information to get lost.

How to Choose the Right Patient Engagement Software for Behavioral Health

Don’t just limit yourself to comparing features when choosing a patient engagement software for behavioral health. Here’s how to make the right choice.

Define Your Specific Needs

There is no use investing in a solution if it doesn’t cater to all your needs. So, confirm what you really need from a patient engagement software.

Ask yourself if you are trying to reduce no-shows, improve medication adherence, or connect patients to community resources? Your answers determine which features matter most.

Assess EHR Integration Requirements

Your patient engagement platform should work with your current EHR because poor integration causes double work for employees and confusion for patients.

Ask current users about their experience. Check also how data flows between systems. Can patient messages appear alongside clinical notes? Do appointment changes sync automatically? Can treatment plans show up in the patient portal?

Some platforms claim integration but only offer basic data transfer that doesn’t reduce your workload.

Confirm HIPAA Compliance

HIPAA compliance isn’t optional in behavioral health. Your patient engagement platform must protect sensitive mental health information with proper encryption, access controls, and audit trails.

Hence, don’t take compliance claims at face value. Ask vendors to show their HIPAA documentation and if they’ll sign a Business Associate Agreement.

Evaluate Patient Usability

Your patients need to actually use the system for it to work. Schedule demos that include the patient-facing interface. Check if the mobile app works smoothly. Can older patients navigate the portal easily? Do text messages come from recognizable numbers?

Test the signup process. If patients struggle to create accounts or find basic features, they’ll abandon the platform. The best patient engagement platform feels intuitive to people who aren’t tech-savvy. Simplicity wins over feature-rich when it comes to patient adoption.

Compare Pricing Structures

Some vendors charge by provider, some by patient, and others by flat monthly rates. The different cost tiers make it important for you to include setup fees, training costs, and ongoing support charges in your budgeting. Confirm if prices would go up down the road and other related contract terms.

Remember that cheaper platforms often lack essential features or charge extra for things like phone support. However, more expensive doesn’t always mean better, but extremely low prices usually indicate limited functionality.

Test With Pilot Programs

Run a small pilot program before committing to any patient engagement software for behavioral health. Confirm if patients can easily schedule appointments, you receive timely notifications about urgent messages, etc.

If patients aren’t engaging or staff find the system cumbersome, those problems won’t disappear with full deployment. Use your pilot feedback to negotiate better terms or identify deal-breaker issues before signing contracts.

Benefits of Using a Patient Engagement Platform in Behavioral Health

These platforms work because they address the specific challenges that make behavioral health different from other medical specialties. Here are some of their benefits:

• Better health outcomes since patients adhere to their treatment plans.
• Automated confirmations and rescheduling options cut down missed appointments.
• Consistent (and secure) communication between visits builds trust and keeps patients engaged.
• Convenient access to care and support leads to a better overall experience.
• Providers can monitor outcomes, track progress, and adjust treatment with accurate data.

Improve Behavioral Health Outcomes With TeleVox

TeleVox does more than just help you send reminders. We build conversations and connections with patients through our Digital Care Programs.

Our SMART Agent answers all your patient messages through text, voice, or chat, helping with requests like billing questions, prescription refills, or accessing intake forms. That also includes a convenient SMART SMS channel that keeps everything in the same conversation thread.

You no longer have to juggle multiple systems. The platform connects with your EHR, so you can see patient messages alongside notes and track responses without losing context.

This keeps patients connected throughout their therapy cycles. You catch issues early, avoid missed conversations, and maintain steady care.

Book a demo today to see how TeleVox aligns your patients with your practice.