Lady Gaga is entering the mHealth market with her Born This Way Foundation supporting an SMS-based conversation about mental health. Designed for and between young people, this emerging mental health “conference” called “Text, Talk, Act to Improve Mental Health” offers conversation entirely conducted by texting.

“We specifically wanted to do this through a text messaging platform to appeal to youth,” said Raquel Goodrich, the online engagement manager for the National Institute for Civil Discourse. “This could be a really good way to get youth talking about mental health.”

Participants are invited to gather three or four friends and text START to 89800. The “conversation” takes about an hour and involves questions and answers, and occasional polls.

The first Text, Talk, Act took place in December when about 600 phone lines texted in, with the National Institute for Civil Discourse estimating 2,400 participants not least due to endorsement and partnership of Lady Gaga’s foundation.

The event in principally run by Creating Community Solutions, a partnership between various “deliberative democracy” organizations created as a part of the National Dialogue on Mental Health. There is no schedule set for the next TTA…

[Via: Medill Reports Chicago]