Hope Emotional Support Chatbot

Hope is a text-to-talk chatbot technology service to assist you in managing everyday stress and emotional trouble. The chatbot connects you through AI-driven text conversations that are available in both English and Spanish 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

No. A chatbot is a computer program that simulates human conversations between a person and a machine. In the case of Hope, this communication takes the form of text messages, designed using a combination of pre-programmed scripts and machine learning algorithms.

Licensed therapists and experienced professionals are vetted and hired to write the content Hope uses. When you message Hope, the chatbot picks up on keywords such as stressed, sad, or nervous, and replies with tips and techniques those professionals have created.

You will not be asked to provide any privacy-sensitive information. All conversations are encrypted and securely stored, and the service regularly undergoes security audits.

No. The Hope emotional support chatbot is completely free for you to use, provided by Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri through a partnership with the developer.

Hope can offer suggestions for coping skills, information, and encouragement for minor mental and emotional health concerns — everyday struggles like stress at work, difficulty with a significant other, or problems with a friend or family member, as well as emotional symptoms such as depression or anxiety, habits, and troublesome thinking patterns.

Hope does not diagnose illnesses and is not meant to replace trained professionals. Hope is not intended for crisis interventions. If a text suggests an escalation to crisis (such as the mention of death, suicide, or domestic violence), users will be reminded to access 988 for additional support.