Alongside is a wellness platform for K–12 schools, with self-guided tools and coaching chats for students and educators. Its student service is designed for grades 4–12; Alongside for Educators provides a self-help platform for faculty and staff. Students can chat confidentially about challenges at any time and receive clinically informed techniques drawing on CBT, DBT, ACT, and mindfulness. They can track moods, set goals, journal, watch mindfulness and social-skills videos, and complete personalized exercises. Support covers more than 50 common concerns, including friendships, self-esteem, and anxiety. Schools can add universal mental health screening and social-emotional competency assessments, and school and district dashboards report usage and student concerns. For detected suicidal ideation risk, the described process can include the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale, connection to 988, notification of school or district personnel, and safety planning. Alongside says AI is not used for universal screening or assessing crisis severity; severe issues trigger a pre-written safety protocol. The service is available on the web, iOS, and Android, with sign-in through Clever or a school-issued email.
Who it is for
Alongside is designed for students in grades 4–12 and education faculty and staff seeking self-help wellness tools. Schools and districts may also use its optional screening and reporting dashboards.
What is good
- Confidential student chats are available 24/7.
- Includes mood tracking, journaling, and guided exercises.
- Optional screening and school dashboards are available.
- Access through web, iOS, and Android.
- Lists a free trial of up to seven days in some cases.
What to know first
- No free plan is listed.
- The service is not therapy or a crisis service.
- Screening does not provide a diagnosis.
Verdict
Alongside combines student self-help tools, coaching chats, and school dashboards, with a described escalation process for detected suicidal ideation risk. Schools should note that it is not therapy, treatment, or a crisis service, and screening is not a diagnosis.
Compared on AI mental health chatbots
- Free plan
- No
- Guided exercises
- Yes
- Behavioral coaching
- Yes
- Human escalation
- Yes
- Crisis resources
- Yes
- Access platforms
- Web, iOS, Android
