Role
Partners
UC San Diego Health
Jacobs Center for Health Innovation
Human Healthcare Factors
State of California
BrickSimple
Skills
Product Design
UX Research
Human-Centered Design
Health Design
Project Management
Timeline
1 Year
Jan 2024 - Current
OVERVIEW
Willo is a personalized self-care and wellness app designed to address the growing mental health needs in university.
College students are experiencing record-high rates of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and suicidality. Traditional campus services are struggling to meet the growing demand, underscoring the urgent need for innovative approaches to support student mental health and wellness. Developed by the Joan & Irwin Jacobs Center for Health Innovation (JCHI) in collaboration with UCSD students, Willo aims to revolutionize how students approach their mental health by providing easy access to campus resources and promoting proactive well-being strategies.
THE CHALLENGE
Skyrocketing rates of depression and suicide in the university
College students face increasing rates of depression, anxiety, and social isolation in this high pressure season of life. Traditional campus mental health services struggle to meet the rising demand, and students often lack awareness of available resources or find it difficult to prioritize their well-being.
An innovative self-care and healthcare app made for and by students, aiming to inspire a shift towards proactive care
The Joan & Irwin Jacobs Center for Health Innovation (JCHI), in collaboration with UC San Diego students, has developed a groundbreaking app that redefines student mental health and well-being support. Willo offers a user-friendly platform that simplifies the discovery of mental health and wellness services and tailors recommendations to individual needs. Willo integrates an intuitive system aggregator that customizes recommendations for services, resources, and apps based on individual interests and goals.
“Willo is designed specifically to address the mental health needs of our diverse community,” Khosla said.
“This trailblazing app reflects the collaborative nature and innovative ethos of our campus and long history of leadership in AI. By introducing this transformative AI algorithm, we are delivering on our mission to prioritize student health and well-being, with a strong focus on mental health support.” — Khosla, 2024.
Willo's AI connects you with events and resources that fit your interests to help you live a balanced life
With features like health analytics and motivational incentives, Willo not only breaks down barriers to mental health resources but also fosters active engagement and self-management. This app is set to revolutionize how students approach their mental health, aiming to inspire a cultural shift toward greater awareness, open dialogue, and proactive well-being.
Keep track of your mood and sleep patterns to gain insights into your current state of well-being
Willo's mood and sleep tracker will help students have a better understanding of their emotional and physical needs, based on a handful of research papers that support the correlation. Mood and sleep data trends help students understand their own patterns and progress over time.
Connect Willo to MyChart to view your upcoming health appointments
Willo recognizes the importance of easy access to healthcare appointments and integrates with MyChart to streamline this process. This integration allows users to view MyChart appointments directly in app, so they don't need to switch between platforms. You can receive reminders for upcoming appointments, ensuring they don't miss crucial healthcare visits.
Connect Willo to MyChart to view your upcoming health appointments
Willo recognizes the importance of easy access to healthcare appointments and integrates with MyChart to streamline this process. This integration allows users to view MyChart appointments directly in app, so they don't need to switch between platforms. You can receive reminders for upcoming appointments, ensuring they don't miss crucial healthcare visits.
Gamification and lightweight
Willo recognizes the importance of easy access to healthcare appointments and integrates with MyChart to streamline this process. This integration allows users to view MyChart appointments directly in app, so they don't need to switch between platforms. You can receive reminders for upcoming appointments, ensuring they don't miss crucial healthcare visits.
Willo launched in September 2024 for all UC San Diego students, including medical and transfer students.
Everyone will say spending time in person means more than spending time online. But the truth is that texting remains as a really powerful “middle space” between in-person interactions that strengthen a relationship