Uwill, which uses artificial intelligence to match students with providers for teletherapy and crisis assistance, has acquired tbh, which employs similar technologies to connect students with resources for food, housing and other necessities, according to a recent news release. As a result of the acquisition, Uwill is absorbing tbh’s platform, which is used by some colleges, K-12 districts and employers.
“This integration makes it possible for a college to connect students facing basic needs challenges with immediate support, helping them to apply for rent relief, and providing them with access to mental health support, all in a single platform,” Asaf Zilberfarb, co-founder of tbh, said in a public statement. “It’s about reimagining what holistic support can look like to ensure that every student has not just the resources to get by, but the opportunity to thrive.”
Both tbh and Uwill emerged in 2020; the former founded by graduate students who had watched classmates struggle with financial pressures, the latter to provide mental health care online as the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated mental health struggles for college students and complicated seeking care. For example, in New Jersey, 40 percent of college students in a 2021 survey said they were concerned about their mental health in light of the pandemic. The state responded by partnering with Uwill to bring mental health services to 44 higher-education institutions.
Since the pandemic, students have continued to report mental health as a significant concern. Data from the Healthy Minds Study through the University of Michigan shows that mental health concerns have remained prominent for graduate and undergraduate students. In 2021, the study shows, 34 percent reported experiencing anxiety and 40 percent reported depression, while 30 percent reported seeking help through therapy within the previous year. In 2025, 32 percent reported anxiety and 38 percent reported depression, still well above pre-pandemic levels. The number of students who reported having gone to therapy also grew within the last year, jumping to 38 percent.
According to Uwill founder and CEO Michael London, addressing these mental health needs goes beyond providing direct mental health care like therapy and medication management. According to the American Journal of Health Promotion, meeting basic needs can have a big impact on mental health. Their study of 2,000 students at the University of Michigan in 2018 found that those facing insecurity in one basic need — food, housing or financial — were more likely to report anxiety and depression than students who weren’t. For students who were experiencing all three, anxiety and depression were four times as likely.
“Today’s students are balancing academic demands, jobs, and family responsibilities — sometimes without reliable access to essentials like food, housing, or transportation,” London said in a public statement. “Supporting student mental health means addressing these fundamental needs.”
