# How can SMS and USSD be used safely for mental health with low-connectivity users?

URL: https://tymirahealth.com/resources/faqs/how-can-sms-and-ussd-be-used-safely-for-mental-health-with-low-connectivity-users
For: Digital health teams | Digital health and technology | Reviewed by Independent clinical reviewer, Registered mental health clinician, Kenya | Last reviewed 8 November 2026

**Answer:** SMS and USSD reach basic phones without data, and WHO recommends targeted client communication for some health uses. For mental health, assume phones may be shared: use a neutral sender name, keep messages free of diagnoses or session content, and let users choose times and opt out easily. USSD sessions time out, so keep screening flows short and avoid storing answers on the handset. Get consent for the channel, and never present SMS as a crisis service unless it is monitored.

Sources: World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241550505 - World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240010567 - Kenya Law: https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/act/2019/24/eng@2022-12-31

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