A staggering 68 million Americas have a mental illness, but only about four million get adequate care. A California startup called Breakthrough is using the Internet to address the problem.

The mental health care field is facing a huge problem right now. A staggering 68 million American adults and children are facing a mental illness, but far fewer get adequate care, according to statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health.

Whether it's the stigma associated with having a mental illness, the high cost of care, or the challenge of finding a provider, many people simply do not get help. But a California startup called Breakthrough is on a mission to leverage the power of the Internet to help people get the treatment they need to recover. The site lets users find a mental health provider, and talk confidentially online through a secure video chat platform, all from the comfort of home.

"We want to help people connect with a therapist or psychiatrist from anywhere, at any time to help them find the best mental health provider for them," says Breakthrough founder and CEO Mark Goldenson.

Launched in 2009, Breakthrough quickly gained the support of psychiatrists, with 25 providers currently in network and another 1,200 on a waiting list. While the company doesn't share patient numbers, there is evidence that the approach is resonating with people. Breakthrough says the average patient has five sessions, and 55 percent of patients have repeat sessions.

With patients and providers on-board, the company over the past year has been working hard to get buy-in from insurance companies. After signing two major players covering a total of two million Californians, Breakthrough is now looking to expand to other states.

We talked with Goldenson to find out how the site got started, the benefits of video therapy, and what's next for the company.

PCMag: How did you come up with the idea for Breakthrough?

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A Mission to Modernize Mental Health Care