These Teen Siblings Developed a Mental Health Phone App

Meet notOK founders Hannah & Charlie Lucas, who are helping others take care of their mental health.

One of the worst parts of going through any kind of mental health struggles is feeling along and like you can’t do anything about your situation. But 16-year-old Hannah Lucas and her 13-year-old brother Charlie are proving that wrong every day – and have created an awesome invention that it will make it easier for so many people to get the help they need. It’s a newly-launched application called notOK App, which anyone can easily use to get help when you’re feeling vulnerable.

It all started because Hannah has a condition called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, or POTS, which causes her to faint or feel lightheaded very often. Last year, she even missed 70% of the school year because of her illness. But when she was actually able to make it to class, the teen says she was bullied and even threatened by her classmates. All of this was so overwhelming, and it took a huge toll on Hannah, and she became severely depressed.

Luckily, her little brother Charlie was there for her, and he stepped in to help. Inspired by the idea of a trusted friend or family member reaching out to show their support in a time of need, the brother-sister duo came up with the idea of a phone app that could make it all a little easier. The tech-savvy teens were able to develop the notOK App, which you can use to alert your support network of contacts that you are in distress.

It can be really difficult to take that important first step in asking for help, or coming up with the right words to say, but this app makes it as easy as pushing a button on your phone. When you open notOK app, you just tap the red button on the screen and a text will be sent to up to 5 of your pre-selected contacts with a message like, “Hey, I’m not OK. Please call me, text me, or come find me.” The app also sends out a link to your GPS location, so you don’t have to worry about explaining where you are.

It’s so incredible that these siblings were able to turn a scary and negative situation into a wonderful new product that’s going to assist so many people! If you think this app would help you or a friend out, know that it’s available to download for iOS and Android devices now.

Photo credit: Vanya Stoyanova. Written by Kristine Hope Kowalski