Demonstration site by RG Consulting · Sample content only · Not a substitute for professional medical advice · Crisis: 988
If you're in crisis right now: call or text 988 · or open Ground Chat for free anonymous support
Free, anonymous, available now

You don't have to figure this out alone.

Mental Health Demo is a national nonprofit offering free mental health support, care navigation, and crisis resources for adults across the United States. We meet you where you are — anonymous, judgment-free, and on your timing.

Start a free intake or
Anonymous & private No email needed to start
Always free Funded by donors, not insurance
24/7 crisis support Connected to 988 lifeline
Ground Chat is open Anonymous · usually replies in seconds

Three doors. One you.

Wherever you are — quietly looking, ready to talk, or in a moment that feels too big — there's a way in.

Find your path

Take a free 5-minute intake. We'll suggest 2 or 3 specific next steps based on what you share — therapy, peer groups, self-help tools, or local resources.

Start intake →

Open Ground Chat

Anonymous text chat with our triage system. Get grounded, find resources, or talk through what's happening — no email, no name required.

Open chat →

Crisis support now

If you're in danger or having thoughts of self-harm, call or text 988 — the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Trained counselors, 24/7, completely free.

Call 988 →

A few gentle questions, then a few real next steps.

Most people don't know what kind of help they actually need. That's okay — we don't need you to. The intake takes about 5 minutes, uses two clinically-validated screenings, and ends with 2 or 3 specific suggestions matched to your situation.

  • Anonymous to start No name or contact required for steps 1–3.
  • Skip anything Every question can be skipped. No pressure.
  • Real human follow-up If you choose to share contact info, a care navigator reaches out within 24 hours.
  • Save and return Step away whenever. Your progress is saved on this device.
Step 1 of 5

How are you feeling today?

Pick the closest match. There are no wrong answers.

Step 2 of 5

Over the last two weeks, how often have you...

Brief screening based on PHQ-9 / GAD-7. We use these to suggest the right kind of help — not to diagnose.

Felt little interest or pleasure in doing things?
Felt down, depressed, or hopeless?
Felt nervous, anxious, or on edge?
Had trouble relaxing?
Felt that you'd be better off not here?
Skip this step
Step 3 of 5

What kind of support sounds right?

You can pick more than one. We'll match you to local options.

Step 4 of 5

A few practical details (optional)

Helps us match you to local resources. Skip anything.

Skip this step

Here's what we'd suggest

Based on what you shared, these are the steps most likely to help. You can take them in any order, or just one.

Email is only used to follow up about these recommendations. Never shared, never used for marketing.

What last month looked like.

Real numbers, updated monthly. We believe in transparency.

12,400
People supported
3,847
Intake assessments completed
412
Crisis interventions
0
People turned away

Stories from people who've been there.

Illustrative example. This is a demo site by RG Consulting — sample stories shown to demonstrate design and tone. No real client information is used.

"
I was on a list for therapy with a six-month wait. Steady Ground got me into a peer support group within nine days. I didn't realize how much I needed someone who'd actually been where I was. That's what saved me, honestly.
Maya, 28 Texas · supported through peer programs
"
I called for my brother. He didn't believe he had a problem. The care navigator on the phone didn't push, didn't lecture. She gave me three things to do and a follow-up date. Two weeks later he called her himself.
James, 41 Ohio · family member of someone in care
"
The intake took fifteen minutes and matched me with a therapist who took my insurance — something I'd been trying to figure out for months. The system is broken. They navigated it for me. I can't even explain what that felt like.
Daria, 34 California · navigated to in-network therapy

Tools you can use right now, on your own.

Downloadable guides, screening tools, and resources written and reviewed by licensed mental health professionals. No login required.

Anxiety self-help workbook

32 pages · Evidence-based exercises for managing daily anxiety

Depression screening tool

5 min · Validated PHQ-9 self-assessment with explanation

How to support a loved one

Family guide · What to say, what not to say, and when to escalate

Crisis planning template

Printable worksheet · Build your own safety plan in 20 minutes

Finding a therapist guide

Practical · Insurance, sliding scales, what to ask in the first call

Grounding techniques

5 quick exercises · For panic attacks, dissociation, and overwhelm

In-person help, near you.

We have 47 local affiliate chapters across the United States offering in-person support groups, drop-in centers, and walk-in care navigation. Enter your ZIP to find the closest.

47 affiliates · all 50 states

Help us hold the steady ground.

Mental Health Demo runs on volunteer time. Whether you have lived experience to share, professional skills to lend, or four hours a month, we'll find a place for you.

Volunteer with us →
Peer support volunteer 40hr training · 4-8 hrs/month
Care navigator Licensed clinicians · 8+ hrs/month
Resource writer Mental health pros · flexible
Local affiliate lead Build a chapter in your city

Things people ask us.

Short, honest answers. If your question isn't here, open Ground Chat or email us.

  • Yes. Mental Health Demo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded by donors and grants. We don't bill insurance, charge fees, or sell data. The intake, the chat, and our resources are free for anyone who needs them. The therapy and groups we connect you to may have their own fees, sliding scales, or insurance requirements — we'll always tell you upfront.
  • Our care navigators are licensed clinicians. Our peer support volunteers have lived experience and 40 hours of training. The Ground Chat triage system is not a therapist — it's a guided pathway to the right next step. We never claim to provide therapy through this platform. We connect you to people who do.
  • You can complete the first three steps of intake, the screening tools, and use Ground Chat without giving us a name, email, or phone. We don't track you across the internet. We don't sell data. The only time we ask for contact info is if you want a care navigator follow-up — and even then it's optional and only used for that specific follow-up.
  • If you're in immediate danger, call 911. For mental health crisis, call or text 988 — the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. They're free, confidential, available 24/7, and staffed by trained crisis counselors. Our Ground Chat will route you there if it detects crisis indicators, and the 988 number is in our header on every page of this site.
  • Yes. The intake works fine if you're filling it out for or with a loved one. Many of our resources are family-focused — including a guide on how to support someone without overstepping. You can also call our care navigators directly to talk through a situation involving someone you care about.
  • 87 cents of every dollar goes directly to programs: care navigator hours, peer support volunteer training, crisis response, and free resources. 9 cents covers operations (technology, office, compliance). 4 cents covers fundraising. Our annual report breaks this down in detail and is publicly available — Charity Navigator gives us a 4-star rating.

Ground Chat

● Online · Anonymous · Free

Anonymous · Nothing you share is saved or tracked