Hope Chatbot Offers Confidential Mental Health Resources 24/7

Need to talk, but can’t reach anyone? Not yet comfortable with telling someone what’s going on? Reach for Hope.

Hope is a confidential chatbot that provides mental health resources on demand. You can reach Hope through text messaging and the Saint Louis Counseling website (and websites throughout the ministry of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Louis). Start a chat simply by texting “hi” to 202-949-7249 or visiting saintlouiscounseling.org. (In emergency situations, call 911.)

 

When you start a chat with Hope, you’ll receive individualized support. This can include recommendations for coping skills, reminders to prioritize mental wellbeing, nutrition and exercise tips, and information to connect with a counselor.

 

Hope remembers conversations with your phone number or user account, so it won’t repeat information it has already given. Hope can also follow up with you after a chat, checking if the resources have been helpful and if you need anything else. All of this helps you receive the right resources, while also training Hope to offer the ideal support in different situations.

 

Even though Hope remembers conversations, no one else will be able to connect your chat to you. Chat transcripts are anonymized to remove personally-identifiable information, and they’re securely stored. In fact, chatting with Hope is as private as chatting with your doctor, since Hope complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

 

The strategies Hope provides have all been reviewed, tested, and approved by experienced psychologists, and approved by ministry professionals. Plus, Hope draws on a range of evidence-based methodologies to meet your unique needs.

 

While it’s not a crisis response service, Hope can recognize when a user needs emergency support. If a person’s language during a chat suggests the possibility of suicide or self-harm, Hope is designed to instantly connect that individual with a crisis counselor.

 

Hope is just one way Saint Louis Counseling, a ministry of Catholic Charities, is caring for the mind through healing, help, and hope.

 

Learn more about Saint Louis Counseling’s services here.

 

Saint Louis Counseling: Caring for the Mind through Healing, Help, and Hope