Soluna is a free, safe, confidential mental health app from the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to provide free mental health services to youth in California.
As part of his 2022 Master Plan for Kid’s Mental Health, California Governor Gavin Newsom invested $4.7 billion into youth mental health support. DHCS partnered with Kooth Group Limited to create Soluna for teens and young adults, Brightlife Kids for children.
Soluna is free and accessible for all youth in California via mobile app or online web app, requiring only a zip code and a birthdate to create an account.
Soluna’s key feature is free 1:1 mental telehealth support from trained professionals, or “coaches,” through video call or messaging chats. Users can select a coach based on specialty and schedule an appointment or simply drop-in between 10am and 9pm to immediately speak with a professional.
With studies finding that many young people are becoming more and more comfortable with discussing their mental health anonymously online, Soluna leverages this shift by allowing users to remain anonymous while using the app, including while speaking with coaches 1:1. Soluna is completely confidential, with activity only being shared in cases where safety requires it.
Soluna’s features also include daily support tools like breathing exercises, journaling prompts, and relaxation activities. The app offers mood tracking to help teens understand their emotions over time, tips for managing mental health, and crisis and emergency resources for teens needing immediate support.
DHCS published an impact report on Brightlife Kids and Soluna in June 2025, noting that of the 117,000 youth who have used Soluna since its launch, 82% reported feeling less alone and 99% reported feeling heard and supported from using coaching sessions.
Soluna is being promoted and integrated into schools and communities across the state to expand the reach of mental health support. Its website offers free print and digital resources to help promote it in schools, communities, and on social media.
Suicide among youth between ages 10 and 18 increased by 20% following the pandemic, and the CDC reports that suicidal thoughts and behaviors are increasing among high schoolers.
Soluna represents California’s key strategy for combatting the youth mental health crisis and ensuring all young Californians can access free mental health support in a stigma-free environment.
