Kooth Digital Health today announced the publication of a peer-reviewed paper in JMIR Formative Research examining how school and youth-serving professionals experienced Soluna’s implementation and impact during its first year of statewide rollout in California. The mixed-methods study, conducted in partnership with FitMinded Inc., surveyed and interviewed educators, counselors, and youth-serving professionals across the state, offering one of the first system-level views into how those supporting California’s youth are engaging with and using the platform.
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
The findings show strong confidence in Soluna among educators and youth-serving professionals, including:
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95% said they would recommend Soluna.
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89% reported improvements in youth concentration in school.
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87% said that Soluna has improved access to mental help support in school.
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83% reported confidence that Soluna benefits staff in supporting student or youth mental wellbeing.
Stakeholders most frequently cited ease of access, confidentiality, and trustworthiness as the primary reasons they believe young people value Soluna.
Within months of launch, schools and community organizations described Soluna as filling a critical gap in youth mental health support, particularly for young people facing barriers to traditional care, including stigma, transportation, and long wait times.
“This research confirms something we hear consistently in the field and that has been a hallmark of Kooth’s approach for 25 years: the first step to creating a successful scalable service is building trust with the families, educators, health professionals, and community organizers who are working directly with young people,” said Kate Newhouse, Chief Executive Officer of Kooth Digital Health. “Ninety five percent of stakeholders saying they would recommend Soluna is not just an encouraging number, it tells us the platform is being woven into the fabric of how California communities support young people. That confidence is essential to scaling Soluna responsibly and sustainably.”
As Soluna has expanded since launch, it has significantly grown its network of educators across the state and introduced an Educator Ambassador program, inviting school staff to join a community of champions who help strengthen student mental health through feedback, outreach, and shared resources.
To read the full study:
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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.