Mental Health Chatbot in Schools
As school districts face challenges in supporting student mental health, Sonar Mental Health has introduced a chatbot named Sonny. This “wellbeing companion” aims to assist students by providing timely responses to their concerns.
Image courtesy of TechCrunch
Sonny utilizes a blend of artificial intelligence and human expertise. When students send inquiries to Sonny, the AI generates a preliminary response which is subsequently reviewed by a human team member.
This process ensures that the responses are accurate and sensitive to the students’ needs.
Sonar Mental Health has secured its first school partnership as of January 2024 and is now accessible to over 4,500 middle and high school students across nine districts. The monitoring of chats is conducted by a team of six professionals with backgrounds in psychology, social work, and crisis-line support. For more details, see Sonar Mental Health and Wall Street Journal.
CEO Drew Barvir emphasizes that Sonny is not a substitute for traditional therapy. Instead, Sonar’s staff collaborates with schools and parents to connect students with licensed therapists when necessary.
This model addresses the significant shortage of school counselors, with the Education Department indicating that 17% of high schools lack a counselor entirely.
Image courtesy of FusionMindLabs Magazine
As schools increasingly turn to technology to bridge the gap in mental health services, initiatives like Sonny offer a promising solution for addressing the urgent needs of students. For more information about potential mental health solutions, visit Psywellpath for articles on mental health topics, guides on relationships and self-improvement, and more.
