Call for Code 2019 Finalist: Healios provides easily accessible and high-quality mental health care

Developer Kevin Kim lived through Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and saw the deep impact the storm had on close friends -- not only on physical belongings and health, but on their mental well-being. One of Kim's friends, for example, had a tree crash through his roof, and though no one was physically hurt, dealing with the insurance and finances after the storm took a heavy toll on his friend. The experience spurred Kim and his teammates -- Christopher McKinney, Sunjae Shim, Tony Park, and Xuelong Mu -- to join forces and create Healios, an online platform that uses a conversational interface and AI to help connect those who need mental healthcare with the right case worker. The team's solution has been named a top-five finalist in the Call for Code 2019 Global Challenge. "There are a lot of stressors that are being constantly inundated with needs that pop out of nowhere, that they never had to deal with," Kim said.