Behavioral Health Virtual Services Platform: BrightLife Kids and Soluna
Latest News: BrightLife Kids and Soluna Impact Update
In June 2025, the Department of Health Care Services released an
impact update on BrightLife Kids and Soluna. The update highlights the platforms' impact since their launch in January 2024. More than 319,000 youth and families are using the apps, more than 62,000 coaching sessions have been completed, and more than 77% of BrightLife Kids users and 50% of Soluna consider it their first and only source of professional mental health support.
BrightLife Kids and Soluna are free, statewide behavioral health platforms that offer children, youth, young adults, and families access to timely, culturally responsive, and confidential mental health support. Services are available to all California families, regardless of income, immigration status, or insurance coverage. The platforms are available in English and Spanish.
The platforms are part of the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), a multi-year more than $4 billion effort to reimagine behavioral health for California’s children and youth. They are available on iOS and Android devices and online at
CalHOPE.org.
What services will the platforms offer?
BrightLife Kids and Soluna offer:
- Free Coaching: Pre-clinical and sub-clinical coaching sessions through in-app chat or video appointments with qualified behavioral health coaches. Telephone coaching is also be available in all Medi-Cal threshold languages.
- Educational Content: Age-tailored educational articles, videos, podcasts, and stories.
- Assessments and Tools: Stress-management tools and clinically validated assessments to understand and monitor behavioral health over time.
- Care Navigation Services: A searchable directory and live care navigation support to connect users to their local behavioral health resources, including connecting users with their health plan, school-based services or community-based organizations that can provide clinical care options and care coordination services.
- Peer Communities: Moderated forums and programs to connect users with other youth or caregivers.
- Crisis and Safety Protocols: Crisis and emergency safety resources for platform users experiencing a mental health crisis or who require immediate assistance (e.g., 988).
Demo Videos
BrightLife Kids
Soluna
Safety and Security
Both of the platforms have strict privacy and confidentiality requirements and must adhere to all applicable state laws and regulations pertaining to privacy and security. Each of the platforms follow robust safety and risk escalation protocols to ensure the safety of children, youth and young adults using the platforms. Trained behavioral health professionals monitor app usage to identify potential risks and licensed behavioral health professionals are on stand-by to intervene if clinically appropriate. Further, each app connects users to crisis or emergency services, when needed.
Acessing the Platforms
BrightLife Kids and Soluna are now available for download in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. To learn more, the BrightLife Kids and Soluna websites.
Toolkit
Interested in helping us spread the word? Download the BrightLife Kids and Soluna outreach toolkits, which include posters, videos, social media content, and more.
