Kooth Digital Health today announced the submission of two papers for peer-review publication evaluating Soluna's first year of statewide implementation in California. These studies provide the first real-world evaluation of Soluna’s first year, showing that the platform not only reached young people across California but delivered support associated with high levels of user-reported satisfaction and measurable positive impact on their mental health and wellbeing.
Soluna is funded by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) as part of the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) and is available free of charge to all California youth ages 13-25. The platform builds on Kooth’s 25 years of experience delivering digital mental health services and offers one-to-one coaching, self-guided tools, clinically informed content, a moderated peer community, and Care Navigators who connect young people to local resources.
What the Research Shows
This research, presented across two new papers, offers the first comprehensive look at Soluna’s first year, exploring both who the platform reached in California and how those young people felt about the support they received.
The first piece of the research analyzed Soluna’s platform data to understand how the service was used across California in 2024. Results showed Soluna served young people across all 58 California counties during its first year. Among users who connected with a coach, return visits were approximately 12 times more likely — a finding that reinforces the important role of human support in digital mental health tools. Satisfaction with specific Soluna features was also high among those who gave feedback with 99% of users sharing positive feedback on their coaching experience and 94% endorsing at least one content piece.
The second piece of the research analyzed data collected via Soluna’s user feedback survey, which is shared out to users on a quarterly basis as part of routine service delivery. Among respondents, 98% said they would recommend Soluna to a friend. Notably, since using Soluna, 85% reported feeling less alone in what they’re going through or how they feel, and 79% said they know more about where to get help when they need it.
To access the full publication pre-prints:
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About Soluna: Soluna is California's free digital mental health and well-being platform for youth ages 13-25, funded by the California Department of Health Care Services through the California Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI). Available via mobile and web apps, Soluna provides immediate access to mental health coaching, self-guided tools, peer support, and guided connections to local resources. Learn more at solunaapp.com.
About Kooth Digital Health: Soluna is backed by Kooth, a global leader in digital mental and behavioral health, providing safe, effective care to over 20 million people. For 25 years, Kooth has pioneered scalable solutions that deliver immediate, direct, universal access to mental health support. Kooth holds URAC accreditation in the US and is the longest standing digital mental health provider to hold UK-wide accreditation from the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), validating a commitment to quality, safety, and accountability across both markets. Learn more at connect.kooth.com.