Crisis resources

Heartnest Crisis Protocol

Last updated: [TBC: date]

If you are in danger right now, call emergency services: China 110 / 120 · UK 999 · US 911.

China: psychological assistance hotline 12356 *(pending lawyer review)*

UK: Samaritans 116 123 (free, 24/7)

US: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988, 24/7)

1. Why this page exists

Heartnest is an AI companion chatbot. Its characters (such as Mia) are AI, not people, and Heartnest is not therapy or an emergency service. Some users may talk about suicide or self-harm in a chat. This page explains how Heartnest detects and responds to that kind of message, and what it cannot do. It applies in the same way to every character.

2. How Heartnest detects crisis signals

Every message goes through two independent checks before any character replies:

1. Rule check: on our servers, the message is checked against word and phrase patterns to detect statements about suicide, self-harm or wanting to end one's life, while excluding common non-literal phrases (for example, "dying to see it").
2. AI signal: our memory system also gives a "possible crisis" signal when it processes the message.

If either check flags a crisis signal, that turn switches to crisis mode. If the memory system is temporarily unavailable, the rule check still runs ("fail-closed": when something fails, the system leans towards showing help information rather than skipping it).

3. What happens when a crisis signal is detected

1. Heartnest changes how characters reply: the romantic / Romantic Partner tone is switched off, past memories are not referenced, and the character responds calmly and supportively and encourages you to reach out to a real person for help. No character will discuss methods of self-harm or suicide.
2. Helpline information is always shown: helplines are added to the end of the reply, and a crisis resources card is shown in the app at the same time. Even if every AI model fails, the system sends a fixed helpline message, so you are never left without a response.
3. Helplines are chosen by your account's country:

[TBC – optional, verify numbers before launch: UK text support Shout 85258; US Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741)]

1. Not written to long-term memory: that turn of a crisis conversation is not written to the long-term memory of the character you were talking to.
2. Gentle check-in: in your next conversation, the character you were talking to may check in on you gently once (without asking for details).
3. Counted, not recorded: the system records that "crisis resources were shown once" and which country version was used (UK/US/China), for the annual statistics below. It does not record what you said.

4. What Heartnest will not do / cannot do (limits of the system)

• Heartnest and its characters are not people, not therapists and not an emergency service.
• Detection can never be fully accurate: indirect or veiled wording, slang or other languages may be missed; ordinary messages may also be misread, so you may see helpline information you don't need.
• We do not contact emergency services, the police or your family, and no person monitors your chats in real time. We do not know your location (we don't use your IP address to locate you; we only use the country you chose).
• If you chose the wrong country, the helplines may not apply where you are.
• Heartnest currently provides helpline information for the UK, the US and China (China helplines 12356, 110, 120 — pending lawyer review).
• This protocol mainly covers suicide and self-harm; for other emergencies (for example, a medical emergency or violence), call emergency services directly.

5. How we improve

• We regularly test detection with sets of test conversations (including indirect wording and phrases that are easy to misread); any version that changes crisis detection must pass these tests before release.
• [TBC – planned: have suicide-prevention professionals review the detection rules and response wording.]
• [TBC – planned: merge the two detection mechanisms and publish the evaluation method.] California law requires operators to use evidence-based methods for measuring suicidal ideation (§22603(d)); we will describe the method we use here: [TBC].

6. Annual statistics (California SB 243)

From 1 July 2027, we will report each year to the California Office of Suicide Prevention (Bus. & Prof. Code §22603):

• the number of times we showed a crisis service referral notification in the previous calendar year;
• the protocols used to detect, remove and respond to users' suicidal ideation;
• the protocols used to prohibit Heartnest's characters from responding inappropriately to suicidal ideation or behaviour.

The report contains no user identifiers or personal information.

7. Contact us

If you have questions or suggestions about this protocol: support@heartnest.app. This email is not a crisis support channel and is not monitored in real time — if you are in danger, use the phone numbers at the top of this page.