Southwestern Ohio Educational Purchasing Council (EPC Schools), a member-driven organization serving 19,000 education professionals and support staff across 110 school districts, has announced a new partnership with Starling Minds, a digital mental fitness platform with deep experience supporting the education sector. Beginning July 1, 2026, EPC School Health Plan Member Districts will have access to Starling Mental Fitness, a free, confidential, 24/7 self-guided program designed to support stress, anxiety, burnout, depression, mindfulness, classroom behavior challenges, and overall well-being.
The decision followed direct feedback from EPC School Health Plan Member Districts, who said existing wellness offerings were not meeting their needs or driving meaningful engagement. EPC Schools began looking for a solution that staff would actually use and find valuable in their day-to-day lives.
“Our members show up every day to support students and school communities under immense pressure, often without the support they need themselves. We wanted a program our members would genuinely value and use. Starling stood out for its experience in education, its understanding of the day-to-day realities school staff face, and its commitment to creating a strong member experience.” – Cristi Goldshot, Benefit Plan Administrator, EPC Schools
Starling Mental Fitness combines education-specific support with internet-delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (iCBT), an evidence-based approach that helps members build practical skills for managing stress, anxiety, burnout, and depression. Because the program is self-guided and available on demand, it helps reduce common barriers to care such as cost, wait times, and stigma.
Starling also delivers measurable outcomes. Among members who begin the program with clinically severe symptoms, more than 65% show clinically significant improvement or recovery within two months. For school districts looking for a benefit that delivers meaningful and trackable value for staff, that evidence matters.
Starling’s programs are designed to reflect how educators and school staff prefer to learn: through structured, self-directed experiences, practical reflection, and clear step-by-step guidance. Sessions are delivered in focused, ten-minute formats using plain, profession-relevant language, making the program easier to engage with and apply in everyday life.
“Educators and school staff carry enormous responsibility, and they deserve support that is accessible, practical, and available before challenges escalate. Our partnership with SWOEPC reflects our shared commitment to helping people access support earlier, not only when they reach a crisis point.” – Rob Hickling, CEO, Starling Minds
EPC Schools Health Plan Members across all 107 school districts can learn more and activate their benefits at epc.member.starlingminds.com.
About Southwestern Ohio Educational Purchasing Council (EPC Schools): The Southwestern Ohio Educational Purchasing Council is a member-driven organization serving 19,000 education professionals and support staff across 110 school districts in primarily Southwestern Ohio. EPC Schools is dedicated to connecting its members with high-quality programs and benefits that make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people who educate Ohio’s students.
About Starling Minds: Starling Minds™ is a digital mental health platform that delivers immediate, unlimited, and personalized support and training for stress, anxiety, burnout and depression. Based on the principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Starling’s leading iCBT platform is powered by an expert system that emulates the processes and practices of human-guided therapy to remove the greatest barriers preventing employees from accessing affordable and effective mental health care—cost, access, and stigma. Learn more at starlingminds.com.
MEDIA CONTACT
Janet Pun | Senior Marketing Manager, Starling Minds
