-
Nov. 30, 2020
Christina Gray
Catholic San FranciscoStressed local Catholics can now find emotional support in the palm of their hands with the launch of a text-based tool called Sister Hope.
The Archdiocese of San Francisco launched the one-year pilot program Nov. 23 to offer anyone with a cell phone or computer immediate, private and free psychological support with a faith-based orientation.
Text: 1 (478) 999-1080 on your phone and respond to prompts. Alternatively, go to m.me/SisterHopeSF to use Sister Hope by Facebook Messenger. English and Spanish language options are available.
Users start a chat conversation simply by texting “hi” and continue in a similar way as a coach or psychologist would, in order to deliver integrative support. The conversations aim to provide mental health coping mechanisms, foster emotional wellbeing and resilience, provide benefits education, and connect people with resources.
“It really kind of intrigued me as far as a tool we can put into people’s hands to help them with depression and anxiety,” Dick Collyer, coordinator of the archdiocese’s mental health ministry told Catholic San Francisco.
The Archdiocese of New York is using it in their marriage program. Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina is also utilizing it.
Sister Hope is an artificial intelligence Catholic ‘chatbot’ designed by local high-tech firm x2ai.com in collaboration with professional psychologists and counselors. Sister Hope is similar to the firm’s pioneering mental health secular chatbot ‘Tess,’ that coaches people through tough times, but offers a faith-based orientation that may include prayer, Scripture or faith-sharing.
According to x2ai.com, a randomized trial of Sister Hope by Northwestern University found that on average, the tool helped reduce depression by 13% and anxiety by 18%.
Collyer stressed that Sister Hope is compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), a federal law that assures sensitive patient health information is not disclosed without the patient’s consent.
Sister Hope is completely anonymous and private, he said. The archdiocese knows only how many local users have used it and not who those users are.
In the coming weeks Collyer will be doing Zoom demos of Sister Hope for local clergy, schools and others in the hope that parishioners, parish staff, teachers and students might give it a try when they are feeling down or anxious.Veterans suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder, certain age groups, and others sometimes “don’t want to admit they need help,” said Collyer. For them, Sister Hope may be ideal.
“They may not want to talk to someone, but they may talk to some thing,” he said.
Reach Sister Hope:
- Text 1 (478) 999-1080, OR
- Search for @Sister Hope on Facebook Messenger
- Enter “Hi” and follow prompts
- Enter “Bye” to end conversation