California’s education and health leaders are calling on schools and districts statewide to integrate Soluna, a free digital mental health platform for youth ages 13 to 25, into existing student mental health and wellness efforts.
In a joint letter to local education agencies, the California Department of Education, the California Department of Health Care Services, and the California Health and Human Services Agency recognized Soluna and BrightLife Kids — the State’s complementary platform for families with children ages 0 to 12 — as trusted, state-supported resources. The letter outlined steps for integrating the platforms into student communications, wellness programs, and digital systems. By embedding the platforms into systems already in place, schools can extend their reach and offer additional pathways for young people and families to access support earlier, and in ways that feel safe, trusted, and accessible.
The letter was signed by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Kim Johnson, and California Department of Health Care Services Director Michelle Baass, reflecting coordinated leadership across education and health to expand access to support for youngpeople.
Soluna is funded by the California Department of Health Care Services as part of the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative and is available free of charge to all California youth ages 13 to 25. The platform is delivered by Kooth Digital Health and builds on 25 years of experience in digital mental health, offering one-to-one coaching, self-guided tools, clinically informed content, a moderated peer community, and Care Navigators who connect young people to local resources.
“We’re grateful to California’s education and health leaders for advancing a coordinated approach to supporting youth mental health,” said Kate Newhouse, Chief Executive Officer of Kooth Digital Health. “Designed to complement the care provided by schools, clinicians, and community services, Soluna extends access to tools, coaching, and peer support beyond traditional settings. By integrating digital mental health care like Soluna into the services and spaces young people already rely on, it becomes easier for them to access support before, during, and after school, while creating additional pathways for educators and counselors to connect students with trusted resources.”
Recent findings from a peer-reviewed paper in JMIR Formative Research examining Soluna’s first year of statewide implementation in California show strong confidence among educators and youth-serving professionals in integrating the platform — 95 percent said they would recommend Soluna, 89 percent reported improvements in youth concentration in school, and 83 percent expressed confidence in Soluna’s role in supporting student mental well-being. Educators also cited ease of access, confidentiality, and trust as key reasons young people value the platform, noting that Soluna fills a critical gap for those facing barriers to traditional care and expands access to support in ways that strengthen existing systems.
For young people, that impact is felt during the everyday stresses of school, as one Soluna user shared: “It [Soluna] has made me able to see that I have more stressful and upsetting times around test times or finals and midterms, so now I know what to expect. When there is a pattern, and you can predict how you will feel, you can take preventive measures to not make it as bad.”
As schools and communities continue to strengthen how they support youth mental health, integrating digital tools like Soluna offers a practical way to expand access, complement existing services, and ensure more youngpeople can get support when and where they need it.
