| Cope Notes | |
| Type: | Private |
| Founders: | Johnny Crowder |
| Area Served: | Worldwide |
| Industry: | Telehealth |
Cope Notes is an American telehealth-based mental health service. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the company "sends subscribers positive thoughts and affirmations to help combat depression and anxiety".[1] As of January 2022, Cope Notes has more than 21,000 users across 96 countries.[1]
Cope Notes was founded in 2018 by Johnny Crowder, an American musician, public speaker, and Certified Recovery Peer Specialist.[2] According to the Tampa Bay Times, the company "sends subscribers positive thoughts and affirmations to help combat depression and anxiety".[1] The content is sent via text message at least once per day, at random times. According to the company's FAQ, each message is "reviewed, edited and approved by a panel of mental health professionals".[3] [4] [5] Users are encouraged to respond to the messages, using the text thread as a journal.[6]
The idea for Cope Notes began as an unnamed in-person support group, which formed after Crowder graduated from college. That group transitioned into a virtual support group, where many attendees opted into the SMS option, influencing Crowder to create a mental health-based texting service.[7] Crowder, a touring musician, used his time traveling between performances to develop the service. The development of Cope Notes was also influenced by Crowder’s interactions with fans at shows, tailoring the service to meet their needs.[8]
In May 2022, a study was published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research where researchers found subscribers to Cope Notes "appreciate the service for reframing their mental wellness with statistically significant correlations between personality and acceptability of the service", while other subjects "prefer a more personalized experience".[9]
In March 2023, a study was published in the Journal of Mental Health where researchers found that "participants with severe depression experienced a significant decrease in anxiety and depressive symptoms, as well as perceived stress" and "showed a significant increase in emotional intelligence" after using Cope Notes for 1 month.[10] [11] The study's participants consisted of 64 people, a majority of whom were white women and students attending the University of South Florida.[10]
In 2022, Cope Notes won the People's Choice award at the Startup of the Year summit, a national competition featuring tech firms, venture investors, and startups across the United States. The company was also ranked within the top 15 amongst the 100 semi-finalists recognized by the competition.[1]