How Riley works & keeps you safe
This whole thing is built on honesty, so let's be plain about what Riley is, what she isn't, and exactly what happens if you're ever in real danger.
If you're in crisis right now: call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, US) - free, confidential, 24/7. If you're in immediate danger, call 911. For treatment referrals, call SAMHSA at 1-800-662-4357. Please reach a real person right now - you deserve that.
Crisis lines, verified
If you are in danger right now, start at the top. Everything here is free and confidential, and none of it requires you to be a Riley member.
Right now
Suicide, self-harm, and emotional crisis
Substance use and overdose
Violence, abuse, and exploitation
Practical help
If you are outside the United States, call your local emergency number, or find a verified helpline for your country at findahelpline.com.
Riley's crisis support is built on published suicide-prevention guidance, and it is not a substitute for clinical care. Riley is not monitored continuously. If you may be in immediate danger, call 911 or contact 988 now.
Every number and link on this page was verified on 2026-07-25 against the service's official source.
Riley is an AI
Riley is an AI companion - her replies are generated by an artificial-intelligence model (from Anthropic). She was shaped by a person who has lived this road, but she is not a human, and she'll never pretend to be. When you talk with her, that's software responding - warm, remembering, on your side, but software. We tell you this up front, and it stays visible in the chat, because being misled about that is the one thing we won't do to you.
What Riley is not
- Not a therapist or doctor. Riley doesn't diagnose, treat, or prescribe, and she's not a substitute for licensed medical or mental-health care. She supports you alongside whatever professional care you have.
- Not a crisis or emergency service. She can point you to help fast, but she can't dispatch anyone or guarantee a response. In an emergency, use 988 or 911.
- Not a place to be judged. A slip, a hard day, a long silence - none of it changes how she meets you.
What happens if you're in crisis
Riley watches for signs that you might be in danger - talk of self-harm, being in acute distress, or being on the edge of a relapse. When she sees them, here is exactly what she does - the same way, on every plan, free, with no usage limit in the way:
- She stops coaching and stays with you. No risk-assessment quizzes, no "on a scale of one to ten." Just presence, and honesty about what you're carrying.
- She surfaces real help immediately - 988 (call or text) for a crisis, 911 if you're in immediate danger, and a nudge to reach a trusted person right now. For treatment, SAMHSA 1-800-662-4357.
- For relapse risk - she helps you put distance between you and the substance, offers a short urge-surfing moment, and points you toward a real person, without shame.
- She won't go back to normal until you've told her you're safe.
Crisis moments are noted in a restricted, safety-only record so Riley can gently check in with you afterward. That record is kept in de-identified form for a limited time (about twelve months) and is never used for advertising or sold. More detail is in our data explainer and Privacy Policy.
If you slip, you're still welcome
Recovery isn't a streak you can fail. If you miss a day or have a setback, Riley doesn't greet you with a red zero or a lecture - she greets you with "good to see you." The point was never a perfect record; it's a way of living you keep returning to. That belief is built into how she talks to you, on purpose.
Your privacy, briefly
What you share stays in your account and is used to help you - never sold, never used for ads, and deletable whenever you want. The plain-English version is on our how-we-handle-your-data page; the full detail is in the Privacy Policy.
Questions?
We read everything. Reach a real person at support@meetriley.us.
Riley is provided by The 814 Project, LLC. She is a wellness companion, not a medical, psychiatric, or emergency service.